France captain Thierry Dusautoir was named the International Rugby Board (IRB) player of the year for 2011 at a ceremony in Auckland on Monday.

Dusautoir received his award the day after leading France in their nail-biting 8-7 World Cup final defeat by New Zealand at Eden Park, where he scored his side's only try and was named man-of-the-match despite being on the losing side.

New Zealand were named team of the year, with All Blacks boss Graham Henry named coach of the year.

Flank forward Dusautoir saw off competition for the award from the All Blacks trio of rival flanker Jeroke Kaino, centre Ma'a Nonu and scrum-half Piri Weepu, who all played against him in Sunday's final.

Also on the shortlist were the Australia duo of flanker David Pocock and scrum-half Will Genia, members of the Wallabies side who finished third at the World Cup.

Dusautoir, the second French player to win the award after scrum-half Fabien Galthie in 2002, succeeds World Cup-winning New Zealand captain Richie McCaw, winner for the past two years as well as in 2006, as player of the year.

Former Australia captain John Eales, a World Cup winner in 1991 and 1999, chaired an award panel made up of several ex-internationals including Springbok World Cup-winning skipper Francois Pienaar, France's Rapahael Ibanez, Scotland great Gavin Hastings and New Zealand's Tana Umaga.

IRB Player of the Year award winners:
2001: Keith Wood (IRL)
2002: Fabien Galthie (FRA)
2003: Jonny Wilkinson (ENG)
2004: Schalk Burger (RSA)
2005: Dan Carter (NZL)
2006: Richie McCaw (NZL)
2007: Bryan Habana (RSA)
2008: Shane Williams (WAL)
2009: Richie McCaw (NZL)
2010: Richie McCaw (NZL)

Warren Gatland's team opened their campaign with a 17-16 Pool D loss to 2007 champions South Africa and then ground out a 17-10 win over Samoa before racking up cricket scores against Namibia (81-7) and Fiji (66-0).

Old Six Nations foes Ireland lay in wait for them in the quarter-finals but Wales produced their best 80 minutes of rugby to seal a 22-10 victory to advance to the last four for the first time since the inaugural 1987 World Cup.

However, the semi-final clash against France did not go to plan when captain Sam Warburton was red carded after just 19 minutes for a dangerous tip tackle on French wing Vincent Clerc, whose side went on to record a 9-8 win.

Friday's 21-18 loss to the Wallabies left Wales with a World Cup record here of four victories and three losses, two of which came against Tri-Nations teams.

"At the end of the day we haven't beaten a southern hemisphere team down here. It's massively frustrating," admitted centre Jamie Roberts.

Indeed, in Wales' 45 Tests against Tri-Nations countries since the advent of professionalism after the 1995 World Cup, they've managed just one win over South Africa (1999), two against Australia (2005, 2008), and tasted nothing but defeat against New Zealand.

But Gatland insisted that there were positives to take out of a tournament, where youngsters such as Warburton, fellow flanker Dan Lydiate, fly-half Rhys Priestland, No 8 Toby Faletau, teenage wing George North and full-back Halfpenny have shone and should all be better for the experience come the 2015 World Cup.

"The youngsters would have learnt and will definitely be stronger for these experiences," the New Zealander said of them playing seven Tests in seven weeks.

Veteran Stephen Jones, who was displaced by Priestland and then James Hook in the pivotal fly-half role, said the loss to Australia, in which he came on as a replacement, had been disappointing.

"We didn't demonstrate over 80 minutes what we could do. We finished strongly, but that is rugby," the Scarlets playmaker said.

"If I look back on the tournament it has been fantastic. Some of the players played the best rugby of their career.

"It was a fantastic experience and a fantastic group of players that I have worked with. The future looks good for Welsh rugby and we need to kick on and win these games and beat the southern hemisphere teams on a regular basis."

Lock Bradley Davies pinpointed Warburton and Priestland as key players in the coming years for a Wales team where star wing Shane Williams is set to bow out.

"Sam has done an outstanding job as captain," Davies said. "Toby Faletau has been outstanding and Dan Lydiate and Jonathan Davies have shown lots of courage.

"I'd say the best has been Rhys Priestland. The way he stepped up has been a revelation. He was thrown in the deep end against England (in pre-tournament warm-ups) and has shown he has a bright future."

"Before we came out here we talked about going to New Zealand and earning respect. They are quite a savvy nation and only respect you when you have done it. We would have like to have done better, but that is rugby."

Jonathan Davies, who has benefited from playing alongside Roberts in midfield, said the future for Wales could only be good.

"A lot of the boys gained a lot of experience. A lot of them only made their debuts this year and have 10 or 12 caps. We have to build on that for the future," Davies said.

Roberts added: "I think we'll go away with the feeling we can compete against the best in rugby. If we get things right, we'll put teams like this away.

"To lose to South Africa and France by a point and Australia by three just goes to show the fine lines at this level.

"One pass here, one kick here, a missed tackle there, little moments in games count."

"Wallaby rejects set in bronze," read the headline in The Australian, which said the Wallabies finally showed what might have been as they attacked well and came away with a 21-18 win at Eden Park.

"Welcome as it was, one would have to ask why the Wallabies waited until the virtual dead rubber of the bronze medal playoff before finally showing some enterprise," wrote Wayne Smith.

"Without question, the Wallabies were under nothing like the same mental or physical pressure this week that they faced against the All Blacks but their performance, flawed though it might have been last night, showed what could have been achieved had they backed themselves more in attack."

The win was particularly painful for Quade Cooper, who had had a forgettable tournament until his 20 minutes on Friday night, and who limped off the field with a serious knee injury which could rule the fly-half out of the game for months.

Kurtley Beale was also sidelined with a hamstring injury, leaving it to Berrick Barnes to help build the morale-boosting victory.

"It's the old story. When the Wallabies have their backs to the wall, they produce. But again, it was a bit too late, and it came at a considerable cost," wrote chief rugby correspondent Greg Growden in The Sydney Morning Herald.

There was also criticism of coach Robbie Deans, with the Daily Telegraph saying his selection strategy was called into question are players he had largely ignored for the tournament shone against Wales.

"Why Barnes was not used earlier in the tournament by Deans will remain a mystery," wrote Iain Payten, though he added "hindsight is a wonderful thing".

Nathan Sharpe and Scott Higginbotham were crucial in the victory against the Welsh but underused during the tournament in which Australia suffered a 20-6 semi-final defeat against New Zealand to meet Wales in the playoff, he added.

"World Cups are all about playing Lleyton Hewitt rugby - giving the ball back until the other guys make mistakes - and Barnes proved himself the baseline slugger the Wallabies have needed all tournament," Payten said as he compared the centre to the Australian tennis player.

Fans in rugby-obsessed New Zealand are desperate for their beloved All Blacks to end a 24-year wait for a second World Cup crown since they beat France in the inaugural final, also at Eden Park, in 1987.

But France were also the last visiting team to win at Eden Park, back in 1994 when they scored the celebrated 'try from the end of the world'.

To listen to some this week was to believe it might be the end of the world, at least the rugby one, if a France team that scraped a 9-8 semi-final win over 14-man Wales were to emerge victorious on Sunday, having twice lost in the pool phase, including a comprehensive defeat by the All Blacks.

The 'friendless' French have been accused of being the worst side ever to reach a World Cup final, of betraying their own rugby culture and being inherently prone to acts of foul play.

But amidst all the speculation, Saturday saw New Zealand and France captains past and present talk more sense than many observers have managed in the days leading up to the final.

It seems almost cruel that an otherwise routinely successful side such as the All Blacks, for much of their history the benchmark for the global game, should be branded a 'failure' as a result of repeated World Cup disappointments.

Yet coach Graham Henry and captain Richie McCaw know the situation having both held their respective roles when the All Blacks suffered a shock quarter-final loss to France four years ago.

But McCaw said the dominant emotion amongst his players was excitement rather than trepidation.

"It's an opportunity... We've given ourselves a chance," he said.

"The boys are motivated, they're excited. But we're up against a team that will be exactly the same and it's about doing the job for 80 minutes."

And as for the local media attacks on France, McCaw also told reporters at a news conference on Saturday: "I've got no doubt the French are going to play their best game and you blokes have loaded the gun for them.

"They've got players who've been around for a long time and they understand what it takes to win Test matches."

On any objective analysis, New Zealand have been the best team at this tournament but McCaw insisted there was no complacency amongst his team-mates.

"In a final it's not about who 'deserves' what," said McCaw. "It's about who goes and plays the best rugby on that stage, in this game, that's what we've got to do."

Opposing captain and McCaw's rival flanker Thierry Dusautoir said France were also determined to seize their chance on Sunday.

"No matter whatever the sport, all kids dream of being world champions. It can't get better than being the world champions and to achieve those dream," he said.

"We showed great strength to get here. There's one match left and we need to prove ourselves."

And someone who believes they can is Jean-Pierre Rives, captain of the first France team to beat New Zealand at Eden Park back in 1979.

"I think they can win," legendary flanker Rives, who led France to a 24-19 win at Eden Park 32 years ago, insisted after dropping in on the current squad at their final training session on Saturday.

"It's not a matter of the score but their spirit. I think they are ready."

Meanwhile, there are concerns an All Blacks defeat on Sunday could lead to a collective national depression, both economically and emotionally and even, as has happened before, a surge in domestic violence.

But one of New Zealand's greatest rugby heroes urged his compatriots to keep Sunday's game in perspective and said the World Cup had been an enormous success for a country recently hit hard by the two Christchurch earthquakes, the Pike River mining tragedy and the recent coastal oil spil, regardless of the outcome of the final.

"Tomorrow night we come to the end of a fabulous journey, both as All Blacks and as a nation," former New Zealand captain Sir Wilson Whineray wrote in a front-page editorial for the New Zealand Herald.

"What a marvellous event, reminding us what rugby can be, what it means to the country and how sport can put a smile on a nation's face in difficult times," said Whineray, skipper in 30 of his 32 Tests during the 1950s and 60s.

He added: "While it has been a memorable cup, New Zealand should also be ready for the wrong result tomorrow night. France is also a proud nation.

"Win or lose, we will be humble and gracious, no matter what happens.

"No one has a monopoly on winning in sport. Fortunately, winning is never forever - but neither is defeat."

The erratic flyhalf, who has been under intense scrutiny and regularly booed while playing in his native New Zealand, collapsed to the ground in agony while running the ball inside the Welsh quarter in the 22nd minute.

Cooper, who had played every minute of Australia's previous six games at the tournament, clutched his right knee and replays showed he'd suffered a hyper-extension while changing direction.

The Wallaby flyhalf was led from the ground, his tournament over, but this time to a backdrop of respectful applause from the crowd.

Cooper later went up to the presentation dais with his teammates on crutches to receive a bronze medal in a poignant ending to his eventful tournament.

Australia coach Robbie Deans said in the absence of a full medical diagnosis, he suspected Cooper had ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, an injury which can require up to nine months' rehabilitation.

"Having experienced it myself and witnessed the event I suspect it's a ruptured ACL (anterior cruciate ligament)," former All Blacks fullback Deans said.

"Quade is aware that it's a significant injury but with technology these days he'll come back good to go, you actually end up with a stronger ACL post-operation these days than prior, so he'll be back in Super Rugby (early next year).

"That whole experience, that adversity will challenge him, but I've got no doubt he'll come out of that stronger for it."

The Australians, digging deep in defence and a man-of-the-match performance from Berrick Barnes, who filled in for Cooper at flyhalf, suffered a high attrition rate in their final outing at the tournament.

Fullback Kurtley Beale re-aggravated a hamstring injury which had kept him out of last weekend's 20-6 semifinal loss to the All Blacks and lasted just nine minutes against Wales.

"Kurtley had a recurrence of his hamstring strain, so strain on strain is not ideal, but I don't think it was excessively bad, I don't think he tore it (hamstring) but obviously it didn't cope well in the game," Deans said.

Meanwhile, Nathan Sharpe's 100th Test was curtailed after 46 minutes, the veteran lock having soldiered on gamely with knee trouble suffered in a heavy line-out fall early on.

Scrumhalf Will Genia and hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau were other Wallaby casualties, while captain James Horwill was replaced in the final 10 minutes.

"It was pretty torrid with a high attrition rate and the boys showed their momentum by the way stuck at their task," Deans said.

Horwill said team pride and a determination to give Sharpe a winning 100th Test match were behind the victory.

"It means a lot to us to pull on that jersey and to play not only for each other, but we wanted to make Sharpie's night a memorable one for the right reasons and so that was a big factor as well," Horwill said.

Deans said he expected some fans would be frustrated by the Wallabies' troubled World Cup campaign, which saw them suffer a shock pool defeat by Ireland before being well-beaten 20-6 last weekend by an All Blacks side they'd defeated to take the Tri-Nations title.

"There will be elements who will be frustrated as we are, that we didn't achieve more, our sentiments are identical," Deans said.

"Internally, I'm proud with the way these blokes stuck to the task, particularly this week.

"They showed not only what it meant to them, but also there's a lot of valuable substance in this group that you will see more of over the next few years."

Lievremont had, earlier this week, named an unchanged starting XV from the one that beat Wales 9-8 in the semifinal, but decided to give himself some extra time regarding his bench options.

In the end he made just one switch among the replacements, including the 32-year-old Traille, who made the last of his 85 Test appearances in last month's 17-37 pool defeat by the All Blacks, at the expense of wing Cedric Heymans.

Lievremont's decision means uncapped Toulouse scrumhalf Jean Marc Doussain stays on the bench for Sunday's showpiece match at Eden Park, where New Zealand beat France in the inaugural 1987 World Cup Final, with specialist flyhalf Francois Trinh-Duc the other replacement back.

Forward reinforcement again comes from front-rows Dimitri Szarzewski and Fabien Barcella, with Julien Pierre shadowing the locks while Montpellier flank Fulgence Ouedraogo provides back row cover.

France: 15 Maxime Medard, 14 Vincent Clerc, 13 Aurelien Rougerie, 12 Maxime Mermoz, 11 Alexis Palisson, 10 Morgan Parra, 9 Dimitri Yachvili, 8 Imanol Harinordoquy, 7 Julien Bonnaire, 6 Thierry Dusautoir (captain), 5 Lionel Nallet, 4 Pascal Pape, 3 Nicolas Mas, 2 William Servat, 1 Jean-Baptiste Poux.
Replacements: 16 Dimitri Szarzewski, 17 Fabien Barcella, 18 Julien Pierre, 19 Fulgence Ouedraogo, 20 Francois Trinh-Duc, 21 Jean Marc Doussain, 22 Damien Traille.

Date: Sunday, October 23
Venue: Eden Park, Auckland
Kick-off: 21.00 (08.00 GMT)
Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Alain Rolland (Ireland), Nigel Owens (Wales)
TMO: Giulio De Santis (Italy)

The sole change to the side that beat Australia 20-6 in the semifinal came on the bench, with Adam Thomson replacing Victor Vito for the All Blacks' 12th Test match in 14 weeks.

"We haven't experienced this before, it's finals rugby," said Henry. "It's our 12th Test match in 14 weeks, so it's pretty demanding.

"It's constant rugby. We have to be aware of the toll it takes on the mind and body, and we have to prepare accordingly."

The team, boasting 708 caps, will be captained from openside flank by Richie McCaw, starting his 103rd Test.

McCaw will be starting alongside Jerome Kaino and Kieran Read for a record 21st time in the back row, one more than the trio of McCaw, Rodney So'oialo and Jerry Collins.

"This is the biggest game of the players' lives and there is obvious excitement and anticipation at what lies ahead," Henry said.

"To be playing in the final of the Rugby World Cup in front of our home crowd is going to be massive and a very special occasion for the team as well as our fans."

Henry warned that France would pose some problems for the World Cup hosts.

"This French team, we're not sure who's going to turn up," said Henry. "They're enjoying the underdog tag.

"But we think they're a pretty good rugby team with some outstanding players.

"Their forward pack is probably as good as any we'll play in this World Cup," the former Wales coach said. "They've got a world-class loose trio and backs that can bite you."

Owen Franks and Tony Woodcock will prop up veteran hooker Keven Mealamu in the front row, with Sam Whitelock and Brad Thorn packing down behind them at lock.

Piri Weepu, who has found fine form as a goalkicker, will partner Aaron Cruden, the third-choice flyhalf after tournament-ending groin injuries to Dan Carter and Colin Slade.

Ma'a Nonu will partner Conrad Smith at centre, with Israel Dagg spearheading a back three from fullback that also includes Cory Janes and Richard Kahui.

New Zealand: 15 Israel Dagg, 14 Cory Jane, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Ma'a Nonu, 11 Richard Kahui, 10 Aaron Cruden, 9 Piri Weepu, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Richie McCaw (captain), 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Brad Thorn, 4 Sam Whitelock, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Keven Mealamu, 1 Tony Woodcock.
Replacements: 16 Andrew Hore, 17 Ben Franks, 18 Ali Williams, 19 Adam Thomson, 20 Andy Ellis, 21 Stephen Donald, 22 Sonny Bill Williams.

Date: Sunday, October 23
Venue: Eden Park, Auckland
Kick-off: 21.00 (08.00 GMT)
Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Alain Rolland (Ireland), Nigel Owens (Wales)
TMO: Giulio De Santis (Italy)

Most pundits have all but written off the chances of a France team beaten twice in pool play, including a 37-17 defeat by the All Blacks, spoiling the hosts' party this weekend and denying rugby superpower New Zealand only a second title since they beat the French in the inaugural 1987 final, also at Eden Park.

Indeed so confident is one leading bookmaker, he has already paid out punters who've backed New Zealand to lift the Webb Ellis Trophy.

But France wing Clerc, whose six touchdowns make him the tournament's joint leading try scorer along with England's Chris Ashton, insisted the final was anything but a foregone conclusion.

"They have their reasons for being confident," Clerc said of the All Blacks. "They have put in some great performances and now maybe it is our turn to play our cards."

"We are capable of playing the match we need to play and we are capable of beating the All Blacks."

France knocked New Zealand out of both the 1999 and 2007 World Cups, defeats that caused something akin to collective national depression in the 'Shaky Isles', and Clerc said: "I think we are drawn to difficulty and I think it allows us to bring out the best in ourselves and it allows us to believe in the impossible.

"We have not always played perfect rugby but we have beat them in the past."

The All Blacks have been doing their best not to get caught up in the hype created by their supposedly 'inevitable' looming victory and New Zealand assistant coach Steve Hansen said Thursday: "We know we're going to have to play really, really well because the French will play really well.

"Like us, they've earned the right to arrive at Eden Park and play at 9pm on Sunday, added Hansen, who insisted he'd given no thought to succeeding All Blacks head coach Graham Henry, set to step down after Sunday's match.

"It's a two-horse race and both teams will be doing their utmost to win it."

Irish bookmaker Paddy Power, who has an online offshoot in New Zealand, said his firm had already paid more than NZ$1 million (US$800,000) to punters who'd bet on an All Blacks win.

"It's so one-sided the final, I mean France must be the worst team ever to reach a World Cup final and New Zealand are absolutely awesome this time around, so we've paid out already, taken our chances," Power said.

"If they do happen to win and are the banana skin for New Zealand that they've been in the past, then we're going to be left with some very expensive egg on our faces."

Star fly-half Dan Carter's tournament-ending groin injury in the pool stage prompted some fears that New Zealand's chances of World Cup glory had disappeared into the operating theatre with him.

But Test rugby's all-time leading points scorer, who said Thursday his surgery had been a success and that he was planming to return to action next season, hailed the form of Aaron Cruden.

The young fly-half is only playing at No 10 for the All Blacks this World Cup after Carter's replacement, Colin Slade, also suffered a tournament-ending groin injury.

"I've been really impressed with Aaron," Carter said ahead of the New Zealand team announcement here on Friday. "He's making the most of his opportunity."

Carter, in a surprising choice of words given the way his World Cup was curtailed, also considered it his national duty to put New Zealand on France alert.

"People always write them off, but come the World Cup they seem to grow another leg," he said.

There is still one more match before the final with Wales and Australia, the losing semi-finalists in 1987 as well, meeting in Friday's third place playoff at Eden Park.

At 33, the South African is relatively young to be taking charge of the showpiece match but he has been refereeing since he was a teenager and later abandoned a banking career to become a professional whistle-blower.

Yet there will be a touch of sadness for Joubert when he gets the final under way as his late father Des, himself a referee and a mentor to his son, will not be there to see it.

"My late father got me into refereeing and I cannot help but think how proud he would have been," Joubert said this week.

Joubert, who was 17 when his father died, told Thursday's New Zealand Herald: "When he died it was a tough blow to get over. I was really close to him as a man but also we shared the refereeing. I hope he is sitting up there somewhere watching. I like to think that."

Joubert's mother, Lynne, a school teacher in the city of Pietermaritzburg, will be at the match after her son paid for her to fly in from South Africa.

"Craig started refereeing at a young age. His father was such a great influence in his life," she told the Natal Witness newspaper.

"When he lost him I wasn't sure he was going to continue but he was very positive and continued with rugby."

Much praised for the clarity of his decision-making and man-management, Joubert was unobtrusive while handling New Zealand's 20-6 semi-final win over Australia.

And All Blacks coach Graham Henry reacted to the news of his appointment for the final by saying: "He relates well to the players, he's cool, communicates well, has lots of composure.

"He's one of the top referees in the world over the last three or four years. The players enjoy playing with him."

Joubert told the Herald his approach to refereeing was to make his position clear to the players right from the start.

"I believe in the philosophy of being firm early on," he said. "It is like raising a child: they just want to know where the boundaries are.

"These guys are so disciplined they will react."

However, he added: "You have to deliver your message authoritatively, but with respect. Treat them like men, not children. They are grown men and none of us like being treated like children."

The 33-year-old lock, who made his Test debut in 2002, has been selected to start for Australia in Friday's World Cup third-place play-off against Wales at Eden Park.

Sharpe will become only the fifth Wallaby to reach 100 Tests, joining George Gregan (139), George Smith (110), Stephen Larkham (102) and David Campese (101).

At one stage in this tournament it looked as though Sharpe might be stranded on 99 after he was passed over for the younger Rob Simmons on the replacements' bench for Australia's losing semifinal against the All Blacks last Sunday.

"Those sort of things are out of your hands, all I've tried to do is to make the most of my opportunities when I've got them," Sharpe said.

"If you worry about things [reaching 100 Tests] too much you'll burn a lot of energy," Sharpe said.

But Sharpe was accorded the honour of reaching the century milestone when he was one of eight changes announced Wednesday to the Australia side to face Wales in the bronze final.

Deans paid tribute to Sharpe, placing him alongside rivals second row Matfield, who is retiring from Test rugby following the defending champion Springboks' quarterfinal loss to the Wallabies.

"It's a great milestone. From what I've observed he's a class act, Sharpie, good bloke to have in the group, he's got a huge amount of respect from his peers, but he's a master of the line-out," Deans said.

"He and Victor Matfield have probably been the best two line-out exponents in the last decade and it's a rivalry that's long standing.

"You only have to look at the respect of those two blokes to see what he offers his peers."

Sharpe, who is contracted by Perth-based Western Force to play in next season's Super Rugby, said he would make a decision on his playing future by the middle of next year.

The veteran lock said it was "bloody tough" sitting on the sidelines and watching the All Blacks dump the Wallabies out of the tournament in last Sunday's semifinal during a match the hosts won 20-6.

"It was one of those times when you want to be involved, it was a crucial match for the team but it doesn't always work out the way you like it to," he said.

"There are some guys coming into the team this week that will bring some freshness who didn't play last week and at the end of the day you are playing for your country and it's a great opportunity."

Sharpe recounted his best playing memories as: "The 2003 World Cup semifinal against New Zealand, the 2003 World Cup Final [which Australia lost to England], every time we've beaten England at Twickenham and winning at Bloemfontein in South Africa last year for the first time on the Highveldt for many years."

While the World Cup has been firmly embraced by rugby-obsessed New Zealand and its financial targets will be met, the country's small population base of over four million and modest sized venues have limited tournament profits to the IRB, the sport's global governing body.

This World Cup has exceeded by 11 times the revenue of the previous largest grossing event in New Zealand sporting history, the 2005 British and Irish Lions tour, but that is still dwarfed by the commercial returns available in major European markets.

The next World Cup in England in 2015 is expected to be the most profitable in the tournament's history, with increased broadcasting revenues available as matches will be played in peak British viewing slots and bigger crowds expected in larger stadiums, with some leading football grounds set to stage matches.

But Kiwi Deans is concerned his homeland - which this year is staging only its second World Cup after co-hosting the inaugural tournament in 1987 - and other similar-sized nations will miss out on hosting future editions because of the dash for cash.

"It's been a great event, New Zealand has done it very well and there's been a lot of comment and discussion around that when they first received the hosting rights," Deans told reporters on Wednesday.

"I think they've done a great job. I think the public has embraced it across the board and embraced the fact that it's more than just the All Blacks winning, which they may do anyway, which is great for the nation because they have been waiting for that for a long time.

"It's been a success. The interesting thing for the IRB is will it [World Cup] ever come back to a place like New Zealand again?

"Given they are the pre-eminent rugby nation right now and have no intentions of letting go of that in the near future, that's got to be a consideration for the governance of the game and what prevails."

Deans said it was important for the IRB not to just go for the commercial option all the time at the expense of a rugby destination for the game's fans.

"If you ask people who have gone to great expense to visit a country like this, they do understand that it's a rugby destination," he said.

"That's important. You can't just go to a commercial destination for these events all the time."

The World Cup takes place very four years and the 2019 edition is set for Japan - the first time the tournament will have been located in the lucrative Asian market - but no decision has yet been taken on the venue for the 2023 World Cup.

For the second successive week, Lievremont belied his reputation for constantly tinkering with player combinations by naming the same XV that scraped past 14-man Wales 9-8 in last Saturday's semifinal.

The bench for the Eden Park climax will be named later in the week, with fitness updates needed on a handful of players.

Eleven of the starting team played in the 37-17 pool loss to the All Blacks last month, while only wing Vincent Clerc and centre Aurelien Rougerie will have started each of France's seven games in their World Cup campaign.

Lievremont was in an upbeat mood despite that group phase defeat, saying that it was no surprise Les Bleus were the underdogs.

"It's always the same with the All Blacks," he said Wednesday after announcing the team. "Each time we play them, they're the favourites.

"But I believe my team has a chance. We'll give our best. I think we can win."

Lievremont added: "We already played them in the pool phase and we all know the result. We'll be expecting the same intensity this time around.

"You always expect the best from the All Blacks," he said, adding that his team selection had been straightforward.

"I didn't hesitate, it was quite clear," insisted Lievremont, a back-row forward in the France team that lost the 1999 World Cup final to Australia.

Lievremont again stood by his controversial decision to play goal-kicking scrum-half Morgan Parra at flyhalf, leaving specialist No.10 Francois Trinh-Duc on the sidelines.

Dimitri Yachvili partners Parra at halfback for a France team making their third appearance in a World Cup Final after also losing the 1987 tournament decider to New Zealand.

Flank Thierry Dusautoir captains the side, with Julien Bonnaire and No.8 Imanol Harinordoquy alongside him in the back row.

Lionel Nallet and Pascal Pape are the two locks.

Nicolas Mas and Jean-Baptiste Poux prop up hooker William Servat, with Rougerie and Maxime Mermoz teaming up in midfield.

The exciting back three sees Maxime Medard at fullback, with Clerc and Alexis Palisson on the wings.

Wednesday's announcement was the first time in 44 matches since taking over for the 2008 Six Nations that Lievremont named an unchanged team two games in a row.

The All Blacks, who beat Australia 20-6 in their semifinal, are due to name their side on Friday.

France: 15 Maxime Medard, 14 Vincent Clerc, 13 Aurelien Rougerie, 12 Maxime Mermoz, 11 Alexis Palisson, 10 Morgan Parra, 9 Dimitri Yachvili, 8 Imanol Harinordoquy, 7 Julien Bonnaire, 6 Thierry Dusautoir (captain), 5 Lionel Nallet, 4 Pascal Pape, 3 Nicolas Mas, 2 William Servat, 1 Jean-Baptiste Poux.
Replacements: TBC

Date: Sunday, October 23
Venue: Eden Park, Auckland
Kick-off: 21.00 (08.00 GMT)
Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Alain Rolland (Ireland), Nigel Owens (Wales)
TMO: Giulio De Santis (Italy)

After last Sunday's highly physical semi-final defeat by the All Blacks, Wallabies coach Robbie Deans and his fellow selectors have opted to freshen up the team for Wales, taking into account both the toll of that match and the five day turnaround, which has allowed just Wednesday's training run and a captain's run at Eden Park tomorrow in terms of on-field preparation.

Attacking fullback Beale missed the Wallabies' 20-6 loss to New Zealand in last weekend's semifinal with a hamstring injury.

But he has been passed fit to play against Wales in the bronze final match at Eden Park.

"It's [hamstring] pretty close. I did a two and a half kilometre run the next day [after All Blacks semifinal] and there's still a bit of tenderness there," Beale said.

"The strain is actually fine, it's the muscles around it that's pretty weak, but I've done everything I can to get it as strong as possible and I'm really looking forward to it."

Beale's return means Adam Ashley-Cooper, fullback against New Zealand, switches to midfield, with Anthony Fainga'a moving from centre to the bench.

Sharpe, starting in place of the injured Dan Vickerman, is set to become only the fifth Wallaby to play 100 Tests - the others are George Gregan, George Smith, Stephen Larkham and David Campese.

"I couldn't control when I would have an opportunity to play my 100th Test, all I could do is to get myself into the best possible shape so when I had the opportunity to play I would put my best foot forward," Sharpe said.

"As disappointing as it is to be playing in the playoff for third, it's still an opportunity for us to represent our country and do it proudly."

Two-times world champions Australia already had four players ruled out with injuries suffered against the All Blacks - inside centre Pat McCabe (shoulder), Vickerman (shoulder, leg and nose), prop Sekope Kepu (eye) and hooker Stephen Moore (sternum).

Into their places in the starting XV unveiled by coach Robbie Deans came Berrick Barnes, Sharpe, James Slipper and Tatafu Polota Nau.

Tighthead prop Ben Alexander is on the bench, while Rocky Elsom has been omitted altogether, with Scott Higginbotham starting in the back-row.

Meanwhile Ben McCalman starts at No.8 in place of the benched Radike Samo.

Wales, who named their side on Tuesday, lost 9-8 to France in their semifinal despite scoring the only try of the match after skipper Sam Warburton was sent off for a dangerous tackle and subsequently banned for three weeks, ruling him out of the playoff match.

Friday's match at Eden Park will be a repeat of the bronze final at the inaugural 1987 World Cup which Wales won 22-21 in Rotorua.

Australia: 15 Kurtley Beale, 14 James O'Connor, 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12 Berrick Barnes, 11 Digby Ioane, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia, 8 Ben McCalman, 7 David Pocock, 6 Scott Higginbotham, 5 Nathan Sharpe, 4 James Horwill (captain), 3 Salesi Ma'afu, 2 Tatafu Polota Nau, 1 James Slipper.
Replacements: 16 Saia Fainga'a, 17 Ben Alexander, 18 Rob Simmons, 19 Radike Samo, 20 Luke Burgess, 21 Anthony Fainga'a, 22 Rob Horne.

Date: Friday, October 21
Venue: Eden Park, Auckland
Kick-off: 20.30 (07.30 GMT)
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Assistant referees: Romain Poite (France), George Clancy (Ireland)
TMO: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)

The 2011 All Blacks swept aside Australia 20-6 in last weekend's semifinals and are overwhelming favourites to defeat a France team that only scraped past 14-man Wales 9-8 in an all European last four encounter.

"It is worth reflecting that in past World Cups, only one team stood head and shoulders above the pack," former Wallaby captain Farr-Jones wrote in Tuesday's New Zealand Herald.

"They were the All Black band of 1987 in the tournament's inaugural event.

"In that event New Zealand won and daylight came second," added Farr-Jones. "They would go on to dominate world rugby for two and a half years.

"I am sure their brothers of 2011 will make sure they don't get in front of themselves this week, but, with one match remaining, this All Black team looks destined to replicate the '87 achievement," said Farr-Jones, who in 1991 captained Australia to the first of their two World Cup titles.

Many pundits had predicted Australia would push New Zealand close at Eden Park - a ground where the All Blacks haven't lost since 1994 - but in the end they had no answer to the home team's fearsome pace and power.

"They were just too good on Sunday night against a determined Australian team. You can only play as well as you are allowed and yet again the Wallabies were shut down across the paddock," said Farr-Jones.

"They (New Zealand) are the greatest exponents of ball-in-hand complete rugby and after 15 minutes the Wallabies had missed a tackle for each minute."

Farr-Jones was also impressed with the performance of third-choice New Zealand flyhalf Aaron Cruden, only playing because of tournament-ending groin injuries to Dan Carter and Colin Slade, although the Australia great recognised the novice No.10 and the remaining backs "could not have prospered if it wasn't for the platform being laid up front".

"He executed his job very well and, while there were some expected lapses, his general maturity and calmness was the standout for me," Farr-Jones said of Cruden. "His coolness in keeping the scoreboard ticking with a well-executed first-half drop goal again showed this New Zealand team have many ways of putting oppositions to the sword."

And as for All Blacks skipper Richie McCaw, who has been nursing a foot injury, Farr-Jones said: "You could have fooled me that their captain, Richie McCaw, was on one leg.

"He seemed to live in the pocket of scrumhalf Will Genia and made life for the cornerstone of the Wallaby team tough. McCaw should deservedly be hoisting the Webb Ellis Cup on Sunday."

On Sunday, after a remarkably short space of time and by a route strewn with pitfalls never conceived in those boyhood dreams, the 22-year-old Cruden will run onto Eden Park in the All Blacks' No.10 jersey, in a match which may see the end of the New Zealand's barren World Cup years which began before he was born.

"I think every kid (dreamed of winning the World Cup) and if they say they didn't then they're lying," Cruden said. "I was out there practicing, maybe kicking the winning goal or scoring the winning try and those are just things you look back on now and think 'oh wow.' I've got the opportunity to play in a Rugby World Cup final so it's pretty special."

Cruden was born in 1989, two years after New Zealand beat France 29-9 on Eden Park in the final of the first World Cup to claim the William Webb Ellis trophy which, through five world tournaments since, has remained painfully elusive to All Blacks teams.

"I've seen the highlights of that game," he said. "It's pretty special and hopefully it will be the same on Saturday night with New Zealand raising the World Cup."

Asked if he was surprised no New Zealand team had won the World Cup in his lifetime, Cruden said "Not really, no."

"I suppose hopefully that can change on Sunday. That's definitely what we're aiming for."

When Cruden wove childhood fantasy of World Cup glory, he couldn't have imagined that the real story would be far more rich and poignant, would contain more twists and frights than most fairytales.

To reach the World Cup final he not only had to reach the peak of his sport - a long and trying journey on its own - but had to overcome grievous health problems, fluctuating form and his initial non-selection in New Zealand's World Cup squad.

Overcoming the odds

After a battle with tuberculosis in his teens and when his career as a first class rugby player was just beginning, Cruden was diagnosed with testicular cancer when he was 19. He underwent surgery, then had to undergo two months of chemotherapy.

In a 2008 interview, Cruden said "you never expect to hear you have cancer at the age of 19."

"That was a big shock ... my life was just beginning, my rugby was just starting to go well."

After an intense and debilitating course of treatment, Cruden was given the all clear. His cancer was in remission and, within months, he was selected for the New Zealand under-20 rugby team.

Asked if his experience with illness had given him a strength he was able to draw on in the latest chapter of his All Blacks' career, Cruden said, "I suppose I've had a few experiences in my life that I've been able to draw strength from and this is just going to be another fantastic experience on Sunday night."

In February 2010, Cruden graduated from the Manawatu provincial team into the Wellington Hurricanes and the southern hemisphere's premiere professional rugby competition, the Super 14. Only four months later he made his All Blacks debut as a replacement against Ireland.

He played six tests in his international debut season, all but one as a replacement. But in his final test in 2010, and in his first start for New Zealand, his dream began to unravel: he played poorly, he was replaced during the match as New Zealand scraped to a 23-22 win over Australia and he was dropped from the All Blacks squad.

He hadn't been able to reclaim his place by the time New Zealand's 30-man World Cup squad was named. He was omitted as the All Blacks selectors chose Colin Slade as the only back up to New Zealand's star flyhalf Dan Carter.

Cruden resigned himself to watching the tournament on television but when Carter tore a groin ligament immediately prior to New Zealand's last pool match against Canada, he received a call from head coach Graham Henry to join the team.

He was named on the bench for New Zealand's quarterfinal against Argentina and after only 33 minutes of that match was thrust into action as a replacement for Slade, who also strained a groin muscle. He played confidently and helped steer New Zealand to a 33-10 win to set up a semifinal against Australia in which he took the starting role.

That match last Sunday was the biggest of his career, an immense test of his skill and maturity and a match played in a pressure atmosphere which would have tested a lesser spirit.

He took it in his stride. Cruden played with a poise well beyond his years, managed the All Blacks' game with a calm efficiency, and played a leading role in New Zealand 20-6 victory.

Three weeks ago, New Zealanders had begun to fear the injury to Carter had put paid to their hopes of ending a two-decade run of World Cup failures. On Sunday the All Blacks will go into the World Cup final against France with a nation behind them, confident in Cruden's ability to do the job.

"I'm just humbled and blessed to be back in the squad and to be given this opportunity," he said.

The Australians took their semi-inal drubbing by the All Blacks hard and face the mental challenge of recovering their motivation for Friday's playoff, largely viewed as an irrelevance at the tailend of a demanding six-week tournament.

New Zealand outplayed Australia 20-6 in Sunday's semifinal, while the Welsh, a man down following skipper Sam Warburton's early dismissal, missed several goal-kicks in a 9-8 loss to France in the weekend's other last four clash.

Amid widespread apathy over the 'bronze final', senior Wallaby back Adam Ashley-Cooper said the opportunity to repay their fans and the likelihood Australia lock Nathan Sharpe would play his 100th Test were driving the Wallabies.

"We care and if they (Australia supporters) care about us, they would care. They need to know that the collective group here that are representing the country care a lot," Ashley-Cooper said.

"Obviously, we suffered a pretty significant loss at the weekend and we were all very upset, everyone took it personally, so we've got an opportunity to turn things around and we really want to win this game.

"Especially, coming off a loss, the potential that Nathan Sharpe will represent his country for the 100th time, something that's a milestone and is a great achievement and everyone wants to share that with him, so there's motivation behind that.

"I hope all the support back home is still with us and I'm hoping they care, like we do."

Ashley-Cooper, who has played every minute of his team's six games at the tournament, paid tribute to 33-year-old Sharpe, who is in line to become only the fifth Wallaby to play 100 Tests.

"Only four other players have done it before and that's just an incredible achievement," Ashley-Cooper said.

"I'm not sure how he's (Sharpe) feeling, but to put on the jersey once is enough, to put in 100 times that's amazing.

"So to share that not only with a teammate, but a really good mate you've shared years with is special, you want to share that experience with him so there's a lot of motivation behind that."

The Wallabies will be without four players from last weekend's All Black battering for Friday's game.

Lock Dan Vickerman (shoulder, leg and broken nose), prop Sekope Kepu (eye), centre Pat McCabe (shoulder) and hooker Stephen Moore (sternum) have all been ruled out, a team spokesman said.

Prop Ben Alexander is another Wallaby anxious for redress this week.

"We do care, we want something to show for this campaign," he said. "We've put in a lot of hard work over the last few years leading up to this tournament and to walk away with nothing would just compound the pain we're already feeling now.

"We will be getting up and putting on a good show and hopefully we'll walk away with the bronze medal and say we were beaten by the best, we can handle that, but we still put in and we're going to put in again this week."

Wales coach Warren Gatland was forced into a change of captain after Warburton, subsequently banned for three weeks, was sent off in Saturday's 9-8 semifinal loss to France at Eden Park for a dangerous 'tip tackle' on Vincent Clerc that ended with the French wing landing head-first on the turf.

Kiwi coach Gatland made just three changes in all to the starting side he unveiled Tuesday in a sign that Wales, whose best World Cup finish was the third place they achieved after beating Australia 22-21 in Rotorua at the inaugural 1987 tournament co-hosted by New Zealand, intend to take Friday's match seriously.

Ryan Jones comes into a reshuffled back row at No.8 with Toby Faletau moving across to take Warburton's place as openside flank.

Bradley Davies, who replaced Alun Wyn Jones in the 61st minute of Sunday's match, starts at lock while Paul James, on early against France following an injury to veteran prop Adam Jones, is in the front row.

"We are sticking with the majority of the side which has put together a string of performances for us so far in this tournament," Gatland said.

"The one change which wasn't forced, in the second row, is based on the fact that Alun Wyn Jones ran himself into the ground when we had 14 men against France.

"We face Australia back home at the Millennium Stadium in just over a month's time, and we are single-minded in our assertion that we want that homecoming to be a celebration of us achieving the status of one of the top three teams in the world," Gatland added.

"We have come a long way and put together a string of performances that the nation can be proud of so far in New Zealand.

"And we need to ensure that the history books reflect what we know we are capable of. And it is only by beating the Wallabies on Friday that we feel this will be achieved."

Australia, beaten 20-6 by hosts New Zealand on Sunday, are due to name their side on Wednesday.

Wales: 15 Leigh Halfpenny, 14 George North, 13 Jonathan Davies, 12 Jamie Roberts, 11 Shane Williams, 10 James Hook, 9 Mike Phillips, 8 Ryan Jones, 7 Toby Faletau, 6 Dan Lydiate, 5 Luke Charteris, 4 Bradley Davies, 3 Paul James, 2 Huw Bennett, 1 Gethin Jenkins (captain).
Replacements: 16 Lloyd Burns, 17 Ryan Bevington, 18 Alun Wyn Jones, 19 Andy Powell, 20 Lloyd Williams, 21 Stephen Jones, 22 Scott Williams.

Date: Friday, October 21
Venue: Eden Park, Auckland
Kick-off: 18.30 (07.30 GMT)
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Assistant referees: Romain Poite (France), George Clancy (Ireland)
TMO: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)

"This is our time!" ran a headline in Wellington's Dominion Post after the All Blacks steamrollered the Wallabies 20-6 at Auckland's Eden Park on Sunday to set up a decider against 'Les Bleus' at the same ground this coming Sunday.

Under the headline 'Epic All Blacks deliver on huge night', the New Zealand Herald's Dylan Cleaver wrote: "Yes we can and yes we did - in style.

"Twenty-four years after New Zealand and France played the first Rugby World Cup final on Eden Park, the two teams will meet there again," said Cleaver, who added the All Blacks had been "scintillating" in beating the Wallabies.

Coverage leading up to the clash with arch-rival Australia was cautious, with media mindful of the "choker" tag that has dogged the All Blacks, who have fallen victim to a string of upsets since their only World Cup title in 1987.

But the punditry took on a confident swagger after Graham Henry's team comfortably disposed of the Wallabies, seen by media here as the main threat to New Zealand's chances of winning the tournament.

"Graham Henry and the players would never admit it, but the All Blacks already have one hand and four fingers on the World Cup," the Dominion Post said.

While France eliminated New Zealand from the 1999 and 2007 World Cups, there was scant regard for the threat posed by the current team after the All Blacks thrashed the French 37-17 in a five-try romp during the pool phase.

"The All Blacks will confront a flawed French side in the final this Sunday -- the perfect opportunity to erase ghosts of the past, and lift the World Cup for the first time in 24 years," the NZ Herald said.

"The Australians will have to wait four more years," it added, echoing a taunt former Wallaby skipper George Gregan directed at the New Zealand pack when Australia defeated the All Blacks in the 2003 semi-final.

All Black-turned TV commentator Anton Oliver acknowledged France's "gnarly, grizzly" pack but believed New Zealand's all-round talent would prove too much in a rematch of the inaugural 1987 final, which the All Blacks won 29-9.

"I still think we'll win, simply because we're the better team," he told Radio New Zealand.

"We're the better team right across the park. We can play any number of game (plans), we've shored up a lot of our weaknesses, we're very comfortable under the high ball."

Beneath the headline "France in the crosshairs of history" Dominion Post rugby writer Tony Robson was one of many commentators to indicate the All Blacks were ready to atone for decades of World Cup underachievement.

"It is now hard to escape the feeling that a 24-year dam is creaking," he said.

The NZ Herald's Wynne Gray said the emphatic nature of the win over Australia had helped lay to rest memories of past All Blacks defeats.

"This time they and the nation will feel destiny is ready to repeat when they return to Eden Park for the seventh Webb Ellis Cup decider," he said.

But All Blacks coach Graham Henry warned that he would not underestimate a French side he said could be "the best in the world on their day", despite having already beaten them 37-17 in a pool match at this tournament.

"We don't underestimate the ability of France," Henry said on Monday.

"Although France didn't play well in their semi-final (the French just held on for a 9-8 win against 14-man Wales), we know they have the ability to play outstanding rugby."

Henry knows that better than most, having survived calls to be sacked after New Zealand's 20-18 World Cup quarterfinal loss to France in Cardiff four years ago.

"Over the last eight years, we've lost once at home in Dunedin, and won all our games away apart from that quarterfinal in the 2007 World Cup - that's the most bizarre game I've been involved in.

"But they (France) will be no more difficult to prepare for than Australia. It's a question of building in the week," Henry said, adding: "There'll be subtle changes in the game plan.

"France can be the best in the world on their day."

Meanwhile, cross-code star Brad Thorn, for whom the final is set to be his last outing in an All Blacks shirt, quoted advice from Wayne Bennett, his former coach at Australian NRL rugby league club Brisbane Broncos.

"He used to say that one of the hardest things is getting to the final," veteran lock Thorn recalled.

"Do you think anyone's going to remember who won a semifinal in 2011? No one's going to care. It's all about what happens this weekend."

New Zealand advanced into the final on the back of a commanding 20-6 win over Australia here on Sunday.

"It was a great game, a heroic performance that everyone contributed to, and it was very pleasing in that respect," said Henry.

"Our kicking game was good at times but we could improve on that," he added having seen his side miss several shots at the posts.

"It was a big game because there's a bit of history and then there's the need to get into a World Cup final.

"It's been 24 years since the All Blacks have won a World Cup.

"The supporters knew it was a big step in the right direction getting through this game."

Henry added: "Australia are a very good side and they've got players, especially in their backs, who can you to pieces and win rugby games against the odds."

New Zealand may be a rugby 'superpower' but they've won the World Cup just once and former Wales coach Henry said his approach to the tournament had changed from four years ago.

"In 2007 we took it one game at a time," he said. "This year, we dissected the World Cup and its history and looked at why the All Blacks have not won in 24 years, and we used that to give us more knowledge.

"It's a new experience for this group (to get this far). It's very important we come down after the semifinal, get to base again, have a clean sheet of paper and build again.

"If we do it too early, that leads to anxiety."

Reflecting on the injury toll from Sunday's clash with the Wallabies, Henry said centre Ma'a Nonu, who scored the only try of the match, had suffered a neck strain with reserve scrumhalf Andy Ellis and wing Cory Jane both sustained knocks to their noses, while first-choice number 9 Piri Weepu was battling a virus.

But Henry said all the fitness issues were "nothing serious".

The Wallabies were blasted out of the tournament by the dominating All Blacks 20-6 in Sunday's semifinal as the hosts set up a final, also at Eden Park, this coming Sunday against France.

Mercurial flyhalf Cooper has been cast as a 'villain' since arriving in New Zealand six weeks ago for his past needling of much-admired All Black skipper Richie McCaw.

New Zealand coach Graham Henry chided Cooper after his All Blacks overwhelmed the Wallabies by saying: "I think Quade has brought a wee bit of that on himself. You've got to earn some respect and he lost some respect from previous actions."

Former Wallaby fullback Matt Burke, a 1999 World Cup-winner, said Cooper's performance on Sunday was so bad he should have been substituted before half-time.

But Deans again spoke up for his misfiring flyhalf, saying he was impressed with how 23-year-old Cooper had handled the suffocating scrutiny and that it had not affected his performances at the World Cup.

"There has been a lot made from something that's pretty small really when you look at it in the light of the whole game," Deans said

"That's tough for a young man. Whether he has warranted all that is a moot point but I guess the key thing for Quade is moving on.

"I've been very impressed with the way he's carried himself because clearly a lot of the dialogue has been unwarranted and it's easy for people who really have no knowledge of the man to take a pop shot."

Despite two flustered performances against the Springboks and the All Blacks when he made continual errors, Deans said the incessant attention had not played a part in New Zealand-born Cooper's eventful first World Cup.

"I don't think it has affected his performances at all, to be honest," the Kiwi coach insisted.

"The whole playing group has been under pressure, the whole group has made errors, it's just a fact that his (Cooper's) errors are attributed to a sideshow.

"He's made significant strides to get better on and off the field. He's come an enormous distance off the field and I have nothing but respect for the way he has carried himself."

But Burke said Cooper was fortunate to see out Sunday's match.

"He dropped high balls, he missed tackles, he got smashed," Burke told Radio Sport here on Monday. "He had wrong options, he kicked out on the full. It was just error after error, which made the game easier for the All Blacks.

"I feel sorry for him. I thought he should have been pulled (replaced) after about 25 minutes.

"Mind you, he went through to the very end and he showed a lot of courage and conviction to play.

"It's all well and good to have that, but you need to be able to execute at the same time."

Cooper said after Sunday's elimination he would leave the World Cup an improved player for all the unwelcome attention he'd received.

"Everyone is trying to get at me personally. I think I'm definitely going to be better off for it," he said.

"I got used to it and I think I grew a lot of confidence out of it. I'm not in a position to point fingers about that or have a cry about it.

"I am who I am. I'm going to play the way that I play and whether you like it or not, that's me."

The All Blacks' relentless pressure and masterly forwards proved too much for Robbie Deans's team in the intimidating atmosphere of Eden Park, with New Zealand comfortable 20-6 winners as they booked a place in a final with France.

Defeat left Australia needing to regroup ahead of a third-place playoff against Wales on Friday

"Woeful Wallabies kicked out by All Blacks hellbent on raising cup," said the Sydney Morning Herald headline.

"In the end, the Wallabies didn't get close," the paper's chief rugby correspondent Greg Growden wrote.

"In the only Australia-New Zealand match which really mattered over the past four years, the All Blacks showed how superior they were, how their attitude will constantly win them the big battles.

"(It showed) how they apply the power game with such tremendous effect and how easy it is to rattle the Wallabies."

Flyhalf Quade Cooper was singled out by most papers for criticism, with the Herald saying "the hope of rugby fumbles and bumbles when he was needed most".

The Sydney Daily Telegraph also got its teeth into New Zealand-born Cooper, who had one of his poorest games ever during Australia's quarterfinal win over cup holders South Africa and fared little better on Sunday.

"Cooper's opening kick-off blunder hobbled the Wallabies before they had fired a shot," it said.

"It was maddening. It was a momentum killer. It handed the All Blacks a roaring start on a plate. It was a sign of his pressured World Cup getting to him."

Wayne Smith, rugby union editor of The Australian, said the team had gone backwards as the tournament progressed and highlighted their set-pieces as "an embarrassment".

"Until Deans and the senior management of the Australian Rugby Union seriously set about putting some armour-plating on this Achilles heel, the Wallabies will remain vulnerable and inconsistent," he said.

"That this problem has been allowed to persist since before the 2003 World Cup is nothing short of a disgrace."

Former Australia captain John Eales, the Wallabies' skipper when they won the 1999 World Cup, said New Zealand were simply too good.

"The All Blacks started with a pace and intensity the Wallabies hadn't encountered to date, and they barely hung on," Eales said in a column for the Australian Financial Review.

"The Wallabies tried gallantly but had no answers for the onslaught, which I suspect will also overwhelm the French next week."

New Zealand are now just a game away from winning only their second World Cup title, secured when they beat France in the climax of the inaugural 1987 edition.

Under the headline 'Epic All Blacks deliver on huge night', the New Zealand Herald's Dylan Cleaver wrote: "Yes we can and yes we did - in style.

"Twenty-four years after New Zealand and France played the first Rugby World Cup final on Eden Park, the two teams will meet there again," said Cleaver, who added the All Blacks had been "scintillating" in beating the Wallabies.

South Africa has been involved in five Rugby World Cups. The Springboks played in two Finals and South Africans refereed the other three.

In 1999 and 2003 the referee in the Final was André Watson and now in 2011 it is Joubert.

Joubert will be joined by Rugby World Cup 2007 Final referee Alain Rolland and Nigel Owens as assistant referees and Guilio De Santis as television match official. Rolland, who refereed the 2007 Final, is the reserve referee.

The IRB also appointed referees to the third-place play-off on Friday. Wayne Barnes will referee the match with Romain Poite and George Clancy as his assistants and Shaun Veldsman as the television match official.

The appointments were made by the IRB's Match Official Selection Committee in Auckland on Monday following a thorough review of performances during the knock-out phase.

Joubert said: "It is an enormous honour to get the Final and I would like to thank Paddy and the Committee for giving me the opportunity. The whole team has performed superbly, assisted each other and bonded over the course of the last six weeks and I would like to thank them for their support and best wishes. I am now really looking forward to getting out there and enjoying the occasion."

IRB referee manager Paddy O'Brien said: "The IRB Match Official Selection Committee was delighted with Craig and Alain’s performances in the semi-finals. Alain will perform the reserve referee role should he be required. On behalf of the Committee and all of the team I would like to congratulate Craig, Wayne and all the guys on their selection, which is entirely on merit."

"We may be nearing the conclusion of what has been a truly superb Rugby World Cup, but our focus remains firmly on consistency, penalising the clear and the obvious and tackling the ‘big five’ areas."

"Collectively we continue to work together as a unit and maintain a zero tolerance attitude towards infringements and foul play across the key areas of the Game. In that regard, I would also like to thank the coaches for their buy-in to the process during this Tournament."

IRB Match Official Selection Committee Chairman David Pickering said: "It was a very tough selection process. The overall standard in performance by the match official team has been superb and I would like to thank the panel for their dedication, teamwork and professionalism over the past four years, not just the six weeks of the tournament. They can be proud of playing their full part in contributing to what has been an exceptional Rugby World Cup."

Third-place Play-off

Wales vs Australia
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Assistant referees: Romain Poite (France), George Clancy (Ireland)
Television match official: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)

Rugby World Cup Final

France vs New Zealand
Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Alain Rolland (Ireland), Nigel Owens (Wales)
Television match official: Giulio De Santis (Italy)

Deans, the first foreign coach of the Wallabies, jumped ship after New Zealand re-appointed Graham Henry as coach despite the All Blacks' worst-ever finish as beaten quarter-finalists at the 2007 World Cup.

The 52-year-old Deans played five Tests for the All Blacks as a full-back in the early 1990s and went on to guide the Canterbury Crusaders to five Super Rugby titles before taking up the Wallabies' job in 2008.

But he insisted there was no doubt about his current allegiance.

"It's often suggested to me that I will have mixed emotions. I'm firmly embedded now (with Wallabies), there's none of that," Deans said Friday.

"I've worked with this group for a long time, established connections and we're really looking forward to this contest."

Deans was surprisingly reappointed for two more years before the World Cup and he was asked which outcome at the tournament would vindicate that decision by the Australian Rugby Union.

"I never feel vindicated, you constantly want more and everyone will have an opinion on that and that's fair," he said.

"I seek to do the job to the best of my ability and off the back of that for these blokes (the players) to not only enjoy their experience but actually succeed and have something to show for their time as well.

"I can assure you, regardless of outcomes, whether we were to be successful on Sunday, or if we were to ultimately win the World Cup there will always be those who don't think I should go around, that's the way it is.

"From my perspective, I'm committed."

Deans said he anticipated a very good New Zealand team irrespective of their injury dramas with skipper Richie McCaw and having to field 'third choice' fly-half Aaron Cruden after Dan Carter and Colin Slade both suffered tournament-ending groin problems.

"I feel it (injuries) will make them tougher and I firmly believe that because it galvanises them as a team and that is what rugby is all about," he said.

"All of these blokes are experienced at this level and they've got the ultimate incentive of playing in front of 'a stadium of four and a half million'," he added in a reference to the population of New Zealand.

"They'll be very, very good."

Potent attacker Beale has been struggling with a hamstring injury, and although included in the Australia team announced on Friday was bracketed alongside utility back Adam Ashley-Cooper at No 15.

"We'll make that decision post-Captain's Run tomorrow morning," Deans said.

"He'll have to convince us that he's 100 percent. He ran this morning. He did a significant amount of running and he was comfortable, but in this position he's got to be at top end.

"He'll have to go again tomorrow morning and show that he has had no ill-effects off the back of the work he did today and then go again and convince himself and us that he's good to go."

Deans has showed his hand with all-rounder Ashley-Cooper named in two positions after he was also bracketed with Anthony Fainga'a at outside centre.

Beale has twice left the field with the same hamstring strain during this tournament, going off 38 minutes into a pool match against the United States.

He was then rested from the final pool match against Russia before returning in the 11-9 quarter-final win over defending champions South Africa only to leave the field six minutes from the finish of last Sunday's gruelling match in Wellington.

Scans in Auckland subsequently confirmed a small strain and the Wallabies medical staff have since been working overtime to get Beale fit.

Pat McCabe, who has been troubled by an injured shoulder, has recovered sufficiently to be named at inside-centre.

While the starting forward pack remains the same that played South Africa last week, with prop Sekope Kepu fit following a rolled ankle, there was a change on the replacements bench.

Queensland Reds lock Rob Simmons has replaced Nathan Sharpe among the reserves.

That left Sharpe, who was hoping to play his 100th Test this weekend, stranded on 99 caps.

"Sharpie took the decision very well, he's a class act and throughout this year we've had a horses for courses approach, so it's not new territory," Deans said.

"Rob is athletic and he's got a slightly different skills set to Sharpie and we anticipate a lateral challenge from the All Blacks, we suspect they will use the ball side to side.

"They will see some opportunities to do that from our last outing last week and that's the point of difference between Simmons and Sharpe."

Australia, who beat New Zealand in the semi-finals of both the 1991 and 2003 World Cups, have not won a Test at Eden Park since 1986.

But former All Black Deans said: "The circumstances this weekend are unique.

"It's a tough place to play, and those are impressive numbers for sure, but they don't matter once Sunday night's match kicks off.

"Rugby World Cup elimination matches are stand alone contests. The pressure is divided equally on both sides as there is no tomorrow."

Australia: 15 Kurtley Beale/Adam Ashley-Cooper; 14 James O'Connor, 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper/Anthony Fainga'a, 12 Pat McCabe, 11 Digby Ioane; 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia; 8 Radike Samo, 7 David Pocock, 6 Rocky Elsom; 5 James Horwill (capt), 4 Dan Vickerman; 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Sekope Kepu
Replacements: 16 Tatafu Polota Nau, 17 James Slipper, 18 Rob Simmons, 19 Ben McCalman, 20 Luke Burgess, 21 Berrick Barnes, 22 Anthony Fainga'a/Rob Horne

McCaw hasn't trained this week because of an ongoing foot injury as he battles to make it to Sunday's crunch game with the Wallabies.

Cruden will be New Zealand's third fly-half used at the tournament following groin injuries which sidelined first-choice Dan Carter and his understudy Colin Slade.

Cruden is one of three backline changes with Israel Dagg replacing 100-cap Mils Muliaina at fullback and Richard Kahui returning to the wing after two games out with a shoulder injury.

All Blacks coach Graham Henry said there had been careful management of McCaw's injury to ensure the team's inspirational skipper and openside flanker plays in the make-or-break game against the Wallabies.

"He has trained very little and he'll train very little today," Henry told reporters.

"The big thing is that he has to take to the track and he's got a niggling foot injury and the more we keep him off it the more chance he's got of playing 80 minutes over the weekend, it's as simple as that.

"He's pretty upbeat and looking forward to the game, but he's frustrated by it obviously and he would like to be taking full part (in training), but you've got to make pragmatic decisions on that and he's doing that.

"Where some other people might push it and not play, he's not pushing it so he can play, so I think he's made a good decision."

Henry backed the selectors' faith in entrusting the crucial playmaking role at number 10 to Cruden, who wasn't chosen in the original 30-man squad but found himself in the hot seat after injuries to Carter and Slade.

"It's a little bit different. He's the man this week. Last week he was the sub, so it's a big change for him," Henry said.

"But he's a bright rugby player, he knows the game well and he's captained a lot of teams he's been in, he directs the traffic well.

"But it's a big game, the biggest game he's ever played in and the biggest a lot of them have played in. I'm sure it's challenging, but he seems to be handling it well."

The All Blacks have lost two of their last three encounters with the Wallabies, including the Tri-Nations decider in Brisbane.

But the Wallabies have not won at the All Blacks' citadel at Eden Park for 25 years.

"I think there's a quiet focus and determination among the players. The guys are a bit quieter than normal because it's such a huge game," Henry said.

"It's probably the biggest game these guys have played in 10 years.

"It happens to be Australia, they're a big brother to us in many ways. A country of 20 odd million compared to four and a half million and that is a positive relationship, it brings the best out of New Zealanders.

"But as far as this rugby tournament is concerned it's a semi-final that you need to win a Cup, it just so happens it's a game against Australia.

"We know them, they know us well, there's a lot rivalry, but I don't think it's any different from playing anyone else in a Rugby World Cup semi-final, you've just got to do the business."

In other changes on the bench, Andy Ellis and Stephen Donald come in and Sonny Bill Williams was named as the third back replacement in a four-three forwards-backs split.

New Zealand: 15 Israel Dagg; 14 Cory Jane, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Ma'a Nonu, 11 Richard Kahui; 10 Aaron Cruden, 9 Piri Weepu; 8 Kieran Read, 7 Richie McCaw (capt), 6 Jerome Kaino; 5 Brad Thorn, 4 Sam Whitelock, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Keven Mealamu, 1 Tony Woodcock.
Replacements: 16 Andrew Hore, 17 Ben Franks, 18 Ali Williams, 19 Victor Vito, 20 Andy Ellis, 21 Stephen Donald, 22 Sonny Bill Williams.

Meanwhile, the World Cup lived up to its reputation as a 'coach killer'.

With Peter de Villiers having already indicated he will stand down as boss of defending champions South Africa when his contract ends in December following the Springboks' quarter-final loss to Australia, it was the turn on Thursday of All Black great John Kirwan to call time on his career in charge of Japan.

And England manager Martin Johnson faced an uncertain future after his paymasters announced an inquiry into their team's wretched World Cup campaign.

But for the four coaches still at the World Cup, the future stretches no further than this weekend.

Wales boss Warren Gatland was forced into making a change when he announced his team to play France on Thursday.

Fly-half Rhys Priestland was ruled out with a shoulder injury and Gatland chose Hook to take his place, with veteran pivot Stephen Jones on the bench.

"Time was against Rhys," said Gatland ahead of Saturday's all European encounter at Eden Park.

"But when we have players of the calibre and experience of James Hook and Stephen Jones, there's no sense that Rhys's absence leaves us any weaker."

Hook added: "I have been in the camp for the last six or seven weeks and I am familiar with the calls."

Injuries hit All Blacks

Injuries have overshadowed New Zealand's bid to add just a second World Cup title to the one they won when staging the inaugural edition, also on home soil, 24 years ago.

First choice fly-halves Dan Carter and Colin Slade have both been ruled out of the tournament already through groin injuries and there have been fears McCaw's longstanding foot problem could sideline him from Sunday's clash at Eden Park, where Australia haven't won since 1986.

But All Blacks assistant coach Steve Hansen said Thursday: "Richie McCaw's foot is fine...So, hopefully that puts that away."

New Zealand referee Bryce Lawrence was widely criticised for allowing a free for all at the breakdown during the Wallabies 11-9 win over the Springboks in Wellington last weekend.

And with the All Blacks and the Wallabies boasting two of the world's best in McCaw and rival Australia openside flanker David Pocock when it comes to slowing down opposition call, both camps did their best Thursday to make their feelings clear to South African referee Craig Joubert, the man in the middle on Sunday.

"Joubert's pretty good (refereeing the breakdown), but how he's going to do it on Sunday night, we don't know," Hansen said.

"I would say that Bryce is probably a little disappointed with how he did it last week," he said.

But David Nucifora, a member of a Wallaby coaching staff still sweating on the fitness of full-back Kurtley Beale (hamstring), said: "I thought the referee (Lawrence) did a fine job.

"I'm sure Steve (Hansen) has seen enough of number sevens (McCaw) pushing the boundaries, he knows how it works," Nucifora added acidly.

Wales the All Blacks of the northern hemisphere

France No 8 Imanol Harinordoquy tried flattering, rather than riling, the opposition by saying Wales were the "All Blacks of the northern hemisphere".

"We often say they're the All Blacks of the north," he insisted. "They're a very good team and above all one which is oozing confidence."

In Tokyo, legendary wing Kirwan - a member of the New Zealand side that won the 1987 World Cup - announced he would be not seeking an extension to his current Japan contract, which expires in December, after the 'Brave Blossoms' failed to win a match at the tournament for the fifth straight edition.

"I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with Japan Rugby and will always be very proud of the improvements and achievements we have made over the past five years," Kirwan said.

Elsewhere Johnson, England's 2003 World Cup winning captain, was given up to a fortnight to advise his employers of his future plans after a dismal campaign, which ended with a quarter-final loss to France last weekend, was compounded by lurid reports of unseemly off-field behaviour by his players.

Johnson's contract too expires in December and acting Rugby Football Union chief executive Martyn Thomas, the prime mover behind the former lock becoming England manager, said: "What I need to know is if he wishes to be considered for appointment.

"I have given him seven to 14 days (from leaving New Zealand) to advise me of his position."

South Africa enjoyed 78 percent possession as well as fifteen plays of more than five phases, but could not get over the try-line in Wellington as Australia snatched the win with a James O'Connor penalty nine minutes from time.

The "Petition to stop Bryce Lawrence ever reffing a rugby game again" is making plenty of news in World Cup host nation New Zealand, after more than 65,500 Facebook users had confirmed by Thursday that they liked the site.

Lawrence has been accused by Springboks fans of egregious oversights in his handling of the quarterfinal, particularly at the breakdown where flank David Pocock provided a deluge of turnovers for the Wallabies.

One fan on the page even went as far as to call for a re-match.

"The Boks deserve a rematch!" said Kim-Leigh Kristen Davids. "WE DEMAND A REMATCH! We can beat da Aussies in our sleep!! (without Bryce Lawrence as the ref)."

New Zealand newspapers have picked up comments attributed to Andre Watson, a referee in two World Cup finals and a referee manager in South Africa, as saying Lawrence will "be punished".

The former Test referee, Watson, who is now the South Africans referees manager has also been highly critical of Lawrence.

"He allowed a free-for-all."

"This meant ace Australian fetcher, David Pocock, was able to have a field day, constantly disrupting the Springboks' flow," he told 567 Cape Talk Radio.

"It's not what you would expect from a referee of his calibre - he didn't referee the breakdown the way he was supposed to. He just didn't step in."

Rugby-obsessed New Zealanders are getting edgy as the All Blacks' World Cup semifinal clash with world number two and fierce regional rivals Australia draws closer at Eden Park on Sunday.

Nucifora, who coached the Auckland Blues at the time of the All Blacks' quarterfinal defeat by France at the 2007 World Cup, said national expectations were for New Zealand to win the Webb Ellis Cup for the first time in 24 years were intolerably high.

"I was here the last time in 2007 and it was pretty glum," Nucifora said.

"It means a heck of a lot to New Zealanders, the game of rugby, so I think that just puts a lot of pressure on their team."

Incumbent Graham Henry was re-appointed All Blacks coach despite New Zealand's worst-ever World Cup result since the tournament began in 1987 and the fact no other Kiwi has held the job the year after a losing World Cup campaign.

"The [New Zealand] players know and the players understand the expectation that sits on their shoulders to win a World Cup," Nucifora said.

"You only have to walk the streets, it's everywhere around you at the moment.

"The pressure is mounting, the expectation is there, it's been a long time and people want to win it, it means a heck of a lot to them. It's going to be interesting how they deal with that."

A massive game

Nucifora said the Wallabies, their belief bolstered by a fighting 11-9 win over defending champions South Africa in last weekend's quarterfinals, will do all they can to exert maximum pressure on the All Blacks.

"It's a massive game and how players deal with pressure during the game will dictate what the outcome will be.

"So if there is scoreboard pressure on the New Zealanders, then that will make it interesting to see how they hold it together."

Nucifora said the Wallabies were working on their attack and line-out to take the extra steps to get past the All Blacks to the final.

"Obviously it was a great defensive effort against the Springboks and the work around the contact areas was very good.

"But there were areas in our game - our attack and our line-out - a couple of things that needed to improve.

"If we take our defensive effort from the weekend and our first 40 minutes against the Kiwis [in the 2011 Tri-Nations decider in Brisbane] and we'll be getting closer to putting together a pretty good performance."

Nucifora said fullback Kurtley Beale's injured hamstring was improving, but his availability for Sunday's match remained in doubt.

"We don't have a totally clear idea just yet as to whether he is going to make it," he said.

"We'll look at him again tomorrow [Friday] when we train. He wouldn't necessarily need to train fully on Friday to play on Sunday but we'll be having a closer look at how far he has progressed."

Prop Sekope Kepu also hasn't trained this week with an ankle injury but he has been given good reports by medical staff and is expected to be named in the front row.

Nucifora also said inside centre Pat McCabe (shoulder) "looks good", in an indication he will retain his position at No.12 and oppose in-form All Black Ma'a Nonu.

With New Zealand's Bryce Lawrence facing an online petition calling for him never to referee again after his controversial handling of Australia's 11-9 quarter-final win over defending champions South Africa last weekend, Campese said teams at the tournament were being forced to "play the referee".

"I think at some of the games, some of the skills have been very disappointing overall," Campese told Thursday's New Zealand Herald. "It's a highly different game. The referees have a big influence on how you play."

This Sunday sees New Zealand play Australia in a World Cup semi-final, with one of the key confrontations set to be the battle of the opensides between All Black captain Richie McCaw and Wallaby flanker David Pocock.

Lawrence was widely criticised for letting Pocock do as he pleased at the breakdown against the Springboks and Campese said whoever came out best on Sunday would be down to the whistle-blower, in this case South Africa's Craig Joubert.

"It depends on who's the referee and who gets away with what," explained Campese, a member of Australia's 1991 World Cup-winning team.

"The whole World Cup, it's been interesting. There were so many forward passes that were let go and all the time no crackdowns - tackling with no shoulders, no arms, and it's all let go. You've just got to play the referee."

No consistency

Campese added there was no consistency in the control of scrums and breakdowns.

"You saw some scrums right through the tournament that collapsed once and it's a penalty, and you saw other games where it's collapsed three or four times.

"You've got to realise it's 800kg of men packing in. The thing is the referees have never packed in a scrum in their life - like me... so sometimes it's a lottery.

"That shouldn't be the case. The referees are there to ref, not for the world to watch the ref.

"If two countries play, then someone in the middle has got to control it, but the best referee is the one you don't know who's reffing."

Campese said rugby union's increasingly complicated rulebook was behind a slump in playing standards.

"The rules are more complex - the breakdown is a mess, where you have to have a look inside and you don't know what's going to happen."

Meanwhile, Campese urged the Wallabies to "turn up and play" in a bid to end their Eden Park hoodoo this weekend.

Australia haven't won at the Auckland ground since 1986, when wing Campese scored a try in a 22-9 victory over New Zealand.

But while he said any visiting team would always have a tough match at Eden Park, all they had to was "turn up and play" to have a chance.

Campese, recalling the Wallaby class of 1986, said: "I think we just had a very good team."

Kirwan, 46, whose ambitious plans for the Brave Blossoms were dashed with a bottom-placed finish in Pool A, said he will not seek a new contract when his current agreement expires in December.

The Japan Rugby Football Union (JRFU) said it was looking for a "suitable successor" to Kirwan as they build towards hosting Asia's first World Cup in 2019.

"I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with Japan Rugby and will always be very proud of the improvements and achievements we have made over the past five years," Kirwan said in a statement released by the JRFU.

"I will always follow the JRFU with interest and remain very grateful for the opportunity to serve Japan."

Since taking over in early 2007, the charismatic former Italy coach won 31 Tests, lost 22 and drew two with Japan, as he steered them to four consecutive Asian Five Nations titles and their maiden Pacific Nations Cup trophy in July.

But the 1987 World Cup-winning winger had signalled his intention to leave after a miserable end to Japan's campaign in New Zealand, when they threw away a late lead to draw with Canada in their final game.

The Brave Blossoms, whose sole victory at the World Cup was in 1991 against Zimbabwe, also lost to France and Tonga, dashing Kirwan's target of registering two wins at the New Zealand tournament.

Kirwan had also laid out lofty plans of pushing Japan, currently ranked 15th, into the top eight rugby nations by 2015, and even reaching the final at their home World Cup four years later.

JRFU chairman Tatsuzo Yabe said despite Japan's leap forward under Kirwan, the team should look "severely" at the World Cup result and needed to make "tons of improvements".

"Although his achievements since he joined the JRFU was great, it is also true that we must face the result of the RWC 2011 frankly and severely," Yabe said in a statement released in English.

"There still are tons of improvements we have to make... It is our paramount challenge to review our current high performance structure thoroughly immediately," he added.

Team captain Takashi Kikutani, who paid emotional tribute to Kirwan after the Canada match, insisted Kirwan's reign had been a success despite the World Cup failure.

"It was disappointing that we came up short in the recent Rugby World Cup. However, under the leadership of John Kirwan, the Japan national team have grown in the last four years," Kikutani said.

"He was the great coach and mentor. And I believe we have been a wonderful team."c

Led by 23-year-old captain Sam Warburton, Wales rebounded from an opening 17-16 pool loss to South Africa to rack up victories over Samoa, Namibia and Fiji before outplaying Ireland in last weekend's 22-10 quarter-final win.

But they've been forced into making a change in a key position following that match with utility back James Hook starting in his favoured role of fly-half after Rhys Priestland, one of Wales's stars at this World Cup, was ruled out with a shoulder injury suffered against the Irish.

Wales coach Warren Gatland opted to start Hook instead of veteran stand-off Stephen Jones, who is on the bench instead.

"Time was against Rhys," said Gatland. "We're lucky we haven't picked up too many injuries in this competition, and we're lucky to have James to come in," with the New Zealander adding it had been a "tough call" between Hook and Jones for the No 10 shirt.

Saturday's match will be Wales' first semi-final appearance since the inaugural World Cup in 1987, when they were well beaten by the All Blacks.

France have reached the last four despite losing twice in the pool phase, to New Zealand and in their final match Tonga.

But they turned the formbook on its head with a gutsy display against a toothless England, winning 19-12 to advance to the final four and earlier this week France coach Marc Lievremont named an unchanged team.

Twelve of France's 30 players at this World Cup lived through the disappointment of a semi-final exit four years ago on home soil, with three still in the starting XV: wing Vincent Clerc and flankers Julien Bonnaire and Thierry Dusautoir, who will captain the side at Auckland's Eden Park this weekend.

After pulling off a shock 20-18 victory over favourites New Zealand in the 2007 quarter-final in Cardiff, the French imploded in the semi-final against England, who went on to lose to South Africa in the final.

And this time around, the French, losing finalists in 1987 and 1999 but yet to win the World Cup, have vowed to do their best to prevent it happening again.

"There are many of us in the squad who went through 2007, we know very well what can happen after an excess of euphoria," said Dusautoir.

Bonnaire said the French reaction to reaching the semi-finals this time round was tempered by the knowledge the troubled England side they beat last Sunday were not in the same league as the New Zealand team of four years ago.

"This time around, we're keeping our feet firmly on the ground with a great desire to continue the adventure," Bonnaire said.

The French have rarely produced two great performances on successive weekends of World Cup knockout action but Warburton said: "I've been involved in two squads that have played France and twice we lost.

"But it's a World Cup and, as the results have shown so far, anything can happen," the openside flanker added.

Wales assistant coach Shaun Edwards said the side's run down to the semi-finals down to the lack of a 'fear factor' among a largely youthful team.

"They do not have any past defeats and they don't bring any doubts in the head (about) where we lost to them two or three years ago," he said.

"We are on the big stage now and that is where we want to be."

The Scarlets fly-half has failed to recover from a shoulder problem sustained in the 22-10 quarter-final win over Ireland.

His playmaking role at Eden Park will now be taken by James Hook, Wales's fullback in their opening two pool games before shoulder trouble interrupted his World Cup, with veteran flyhalf Stephen Jones named on the bench.

"It's part of sport, isn't it? You pick up injuries, you don't dwell on it," Wales coach Warren Gatland said of Priestland.

"Time was against Rhys. He's done everything we have asked of him and more during this World Cup but when we have payers of the calibre and experience of James Hook and Stephen Jones coming into the squad and starting line-up, there's no sense that Rhys's absence leaves us any weaker.

"We're lucky we haven't picked up too many injuries in this competition, and we're lucky to have James to come in."

Kiwi coach Gatland said it had been "a tough call" between Stephen Jones and Hook to start at number 10, adding he was simply happy to have the relevant experience to call on.

"We've been very impressed with the way Rhys has played, but we've a lot of experience," Gatland said. "We're happy to have the talent and ability elsewhere in the squad to cover him."

Wales captain Sam Warburton warned France would provide stiff opposition come Saturday following a 19-12 last eight win over England.

"I've been involved in two squads that have played France and twice we lost," the 23-year-old flanker said.

"But it's a World Cup and, as the results have shown so far, anything can happen."

The rest of the team announced on Thursday was unchanged from that victory over the Irish which saw Wales advance to a World Cup semi-final for only the second time since the inaugural tournament in 1987.

Alongside Warburton in the back-row are No 8 Toby Faletau and blindside flanker Dan Lydiate.

The front row features Adam Jones and Gethin Jenkins propping up Huw Bennett, while Alun-Wyn Jones and Luke Charteris are the two locks.

Hook will be serviced by Mike Phillips at scrum-half, Jamie Roberts and Jonathan Davies pairing up in midfield, with Shane Williams and George North on the wings. Leigh Halfpenny gets his second tournament start at full-back.

Wales: 15 Leigh Halfpenny; 14 George North, 13 Jonathan Davies, 12 Jamie Roberts, 11 Shane Williams; 10 James Hook, 9 Mike Phillips; 8 Toby Faletau, 7 Sam Warburton (capt), 6 Dan Lydiate; 5 Alun-Wyn Jones, 4 Luke Charteris; 3 Adam Jones, 2 Huw Bennett, 1 Gethin Jenkins
Replacements: 16 Lloyd Burns, 17 Paul James, 18 Bradley Davies, 19 Ryan Jones, 20 Lloyd Williams, 21 Stephen Jones, 22 Scott Williams

Hansen was critical Thursday of Kiwi referee Bryce Lawrence's officiating of the rucks, where Wallaby openside flanker David Pocock dominated, during Australia's gripping 11-9 quarter-final win over defending champions South Africa last weekend.

Lawrence has copped considerable stick, particularly from South Africa, over his performance, but New Zealand are wary of Pocock's mastery in foraging for turnover ball.

South African official Joubert will control Sunday's semi-final at Eden Park and Hansen said it was important for the crucial breakdown battle to be adjudicated in line with rugby's rules.

"Joubert's pretty good (refereeing the breakdown), but how he's going to do it on Sunday night, we don't know," Hansen told reporters.

"He's human and he'll make decisions based on what he thinks he's seeing and it's pretty clear what you're allowed to do, but you get variation every week, don't you?"

Hansen joined in criticism of Lawrence's performance in Wellington where Pocock played a decisive role in a backs-to-the-wall win over the Springboks.

"I would say that Bryce (Lawrence) is probably a little disappointed with how he did it last week," he said.

"I think Bryce was (a bit lenient). You're not allowed to go off your feet at the breakdown and you're not allowed to hang on to the ball after the ruck is formed and let it go."

Pocock's battle with the All Blacks' champion number seven Richie McCaw will be one of the intriguing sub-plots of Sunday's showdown to decide a place in the October 23 final.

In contrast to Hansen, Wallabies' coaching co-ordinator David Nucifora had no issues with Lawrence's officiating last weekend.

"I thought the referee did a fine job, no problem from where we were sitting, I thought it was consistent for both teams," he said.

And in a parting barb, Nucifora added: "I'm sure Steve (Hansen) has seen enough of number sevens (McCaw) pushing the boundaries, he knows how it works."

Hansen said the All Black players were not the only ones feeling the mounting pressure of what was at stake.

"Everyone feels pressure, it's how you react to it that's the key and we're really excited and looking forward to the challenge of the semi-final, it doesn't get any bigger," Hansen said.

"So as long as you can walk towards the pressure then you are in control of it, it's not in control of you.

"We have a group of players who are really excited about what's coming up.

"I like to say 'do' rather than 'die'. It's a massive game clearly, and the winner gets to carry on."

Hansen said it was up to the team's senior players to rally round Aaron Cruden, the All Blacks' third fly-half of the World Cup following tournament-ending injuries to Dan Carter and Colin Slade.

"We have a simple game plan so it's not too hard to learn it and it's just a matter of understanding it," he said.

"When Carter got injured the guys around Cruden and Slade just had to stand up and do a little bit extra.

"It's not Aaron Cruden who has to do the extra bit.

"Your top players in the big games have to play as top players, you can't afford them not to be world-class, and that'll be what it is like on Sunday."

Todd was spotted providing opposition at the All Blacks training session along with a few Blues Super Rugby players which sparked wild speculation that McCaw could be in doubt for the knock-out clash with Tri-Nations champions Australia.

All Blacks manager Darren Shand confirmed that Todd had been at the training session, but dismissed suggestions that he was providing cover for his Crusaders teammate McCaw and explained that the young loose forward had provided a similar role when the All Blacks trained in Christchurch in the week before their crunch pool match against France.

McCaw has battled all year with a niggling foot injury which has been carefully managed this season, and to lose the talismanic skipper soon after star flyhalf Dan Carter was ruled out of the tournament would represent a punishing blow for the tournament hosts and favourites.

Shand said Todd had come up to Auckland "for some time out" and to be with his girlfriend and the All Blacks had taken the opportunity to make use of his presence.

Todd impressed during the Super Rugby competition in McCaw's absence and has been widely tipped to take the All Black No.7 jersey from McCaw once the veteran skipper hangs his boots up.

Todd made a name for himself as a pest at the breakdown for the Crusaders this year and the All Blacks may well have called on him to provide opposition at training so that they can prepare as well as possible for the threat that Wallaby openside David Pocock will present at Eden Park on Sunday.

Pocock stole the show in the Wallabies' tense quarterfinal victory over the Springboks in Wellington last week, dominating the breakdown and frustrating the South Africans all game long.

Many pundits were surprised that Todd was not included in the original All Blacks World Cup squad as back-up for McCaw and his presence at the training session sent some serious alarm bells ringing.

However, the All Blacks repeated their standard respionse that McCaw was being carefully managed and would be available to take the field in Auckland this weekend.

Cooper, cast as the 'villain' by New Zealand fans for his past needling of All Black skipper Richie McCaw, had one of his poorest games in a gold jersey during last weekend's epic 11-9 quarterfinal win over South Africa.

The flyhalf, richly talented but given to overplaying his hand in attack, was asked on Wednesday about rugby-obsessed New Zealand's aversion to him possibly scoring the winning points to dump their All Blacks out of the tournament.

"That would be a tough one for them (New Zealanders) to swallow, but I'm sure they have a lot more things to worry about than myself," he said ahead of Sunday's match at Eden Park.

"They've supposed to have won this World Cup for the past three tournaments and this is no different. There's a lot of pressure on them to win this competition on their home soil."

Pundits have put Cooper's hesitant performances down to incessant media scrutiny and booing crowds.

But New Zealand-born Cooper, 23, said he hadn't been affected and just wanted the best for his team rather than personal accolades.

"It's a packed stadium and you can hear the noises in the crowd and obviously I know they're directed at me from what everything that has been written (in the press) but it's not a distraction, it's just part and parcel of the game," he said.

"We are the closest enemy to New Zealand, so we're going to cop it more than any other team. They can do whatever they want. I am not going to try and control anybody else's life, I'm just going to try to do what I can to be the best I can be for this team.

"Having a good game is going to play second fiddle to winning the game. I don't care if I have a shocker and we win it as a team," he claimed.

SBW voices support

Cooper received support on Wednesday from an unexpected quarter in Kiwi utility back Sonny Bill Williams.

"I've been in touch with him, he's a good mate, but on the pitch it's a different story. I want to win for New Zealand and he obviously wants to win for Australia," former  Rugby League star Williams said.

"Us being a proud rugby nation, we see him as the enemy, so to speak, but I think he's handled himself pretty well. It's a kind of a sign of respect when people are hitting on him that much, it just shows how much of a talent he is," Williams added.

Meanwhile, Australia flank Rocky Elsom insisted Cooper had brought a lot to the squad.

"As much as you (the media) beat up the issue around Quade, one thing that's been glaringly obvious is that Quade's focus is on the team and we've definitely benefited from that.

"We certainly value what he adds to our team and we're looking forward to him doing that for a long time to come," he added.

Former Wallaby captain Elsom also tried to pile the pressure on the All Blacks, with the New Zealand public desperate to see their side end a 24-year wait for a second World Cup title.

"The situation is not only are they expected to win this match, but then the next one as well, there is a helluva lot of expectation.

"They are the number one ranked team in the world and they are in a country where they expect them to win the World Cup," Elsom added.

"So regardless of what happens the public expect that and you get a feeling around town that they won't tolerate anything less."

Priestland went off three minutes before the end of the victory over Ireland in Wellington and carried his left arm in a sling on Sunday and Monday.

Priestland has enjoyed a stunning rise in the Welsh team since making his debut against Scotland in February in the Six Nations.

His poise and decision-making since moving from fullback to flyhalf have so impressed the coaches that he was started at No.10 in the quarterfinal ahead of Stephen Jones, the record-holder for most appearances for Wales, and the versatile James Hook.

Wales coach Warren Gatland, who is due to name his side to play France on Thursday, has the option of calling up either Jones or Hook, who has played Tests as a flyhalf, if Priestland is ruled out.

Hook, Wales' fullback in their opening two pool games before a shoulder problem interrupted his World Cup, confirmed his availability on Wednesday.

"I would be there if needed and selected," said Hook.

"Rhys has taken his chance superbly, and he fully deserves the credit he has been having."

Hook injured his shoulder against Samoa, and missed the remaining pool games against Namibia and Fiji. He and Jones have been taking extra kicking practice this week in preparation for Wales' shot at their first World Cup final.

Priestland is Wales's lone major concern ahead of their first World Cup semifinal for 24 years, with powerful midfielder Jamie Roberts (nose), captain Sam Warburton (groin) and lock Luke Charteris (shoulder) all expected to be fit to face the French.

Pocock was acclaimed by Australia coach Robbie Deans for producing the best individual display of the World Cup as he inspired the Wallabies to a backs-to-the-wall 11-9 quarterfinal win over South Africa last Sunday.

That set the stage for a compelling breakdown battle with New Zealand captain and warrior flank Richie McCaw in Sunday's semifinal at Eden Park.

The powerfully-built Pocock laid claim to being the best No.7 in the game with 26 tackles and helping to steal nine turnovers as Australia fed off crumbs to edge out the defending champions in Wellington.

Disgruntled South African fans have vented their fury at Kiwi referee Bryce Lawrence for allowing the Wallabies, and chiefly Pocock, for getting away with a free-for-all at the breakdown last weekend.

Pocock faced the media on Wednesday ahead of the big game with the All Blacks and defended his match-winning role against the Springboks, who dominated with 76 percent possession and spent a total of over 11 minutes in the Wallaby quarter.

"I have no idea. I really don't know. I will leave that to you guys (the media) to talk about," Pocock said.

"It's fairly standard in a game these days that No.7s cop a bit of heat from the opposition and that's for Richie McCaw as well.

"I think it's fairly standard (cheating claims) for most No.7s and it's been pretty funny this week in Twitter and seeing what the fans are saying, it's been in good humour," he added.

Pocock, 23, said his job was to get to the rucks first and hustle for turnovers.

"You've got to try to get in as quick as you can and as an arriving player, if the ruck's not formed, you've got all the rights and you continue to have those rights as long as you don't put your hands on the ball," he said.

"That's the main focus and then listen to what the referee is saying," he explained.

Former All Blacks openside flank Josh Kronfeld rates Pocock above McCaw as the world's premier No.7 but the Wallaby fetcher would not enter into the debate.

"I don't get involved in that kind of thing," Pocock said. "It's such a big game for the team and that's what I am focusing on at the moment.

"The All Blacks offer a different set of threats, they use a bit more footwork and their work at the breakdown across the board is a bit better (than South Africa) and more contested, so we have to step up from last week in the breakdown again.

"In the past it's been a big part of the winning teams as the way they've played they've dominated the breakdowns," Pocock pointed out.

Deans and Australia captain James Horwill have repeatedly stressed the importance of Pocock's contribution to the side.

"He's clearly a huge influence in any game he plays in and we'd clearly be poorer for his absence," Deans said this week.

"The world is blessed with some very good snafflers at the moment and no doubt people will be looking forward to next week, to that end," he said of Pocock's looming duel with McCaw.

Horwill added: "Pocock is always influential whichever team he plays for, he's a guy who makes a difference on the ground to the whole team. We love to have him around and on the field."

Veteran fullback Muliaina this week followed talismanic flyhalf Carter in being ruled out of the remainder of Rugby World Cup 2011 through injury.

It means the All Blacks have lost two of their key leaders - plus the experience of the 185 Test caps they hold between them - as they prepare for a semifinal showdown with Australia.

Captain Richie McCaw is battling through the pain of a niggling foot problem and Muliaina, the only other All Black with 100 caps, and Carter would have been valuable lieutenants.

With Colin Slade, Carter's replacement, also being pulled out because of injury this week, New Zealand have once again been forced to delve into their rugby stocks for replacements.

But Smith is confident the host nation has enough talent and experience to cope with such losses.

"It certainly strikes at the heart of your leadership group," he said. "But there are other players here with a lot of experience.

"Piri Weepu is standing up and that's been important. Jimmy Cowan has a lot of experience, Conrad Smith has been pretty vital in the outside backs and Richard Kahui, whilst he doesn't have a lot of games behind him, he's an experienced player and has been a big player for us.

"You've just got to shift those leadership roles to different players. Mils and Daniel still have a part to play off the field, but on the field you've got to shift that hierarchy of leadership.

"We've brought players in that clearly will have a big role for us from here on in."

New Zealand take on Australia in the second semifinal, on Sunday at Eden Park, Auckland.

Scans have revealed the brilliant attacking back, who left the field five minutes before the end of the Wallabies 11-9 quarterfinal win over defending champions South Africa in Wellington last Sunday, has a "mild hamstring" strain.

However, no decision has yet been made on whether he will play against the All Blacks this weekend.

"It's touch and go and Kurtley hasn't been ruled in or out and our team's medical staff is doing everything they can to get him to the starting line," an Australia team spokesman said on Tuesday.

Beale's absence would be a significant blow for the Wallabies as he adds penetration with his runs from deep and is assured under the high ball.

Teammate Adam Ashley-Cooper said Beale would be a "massive loss" but the team has several replacement options should he not be passed fit to play.

"Hamstrings are funny. They can keep you out for 10 weeks or 10 days, you just don't know. It all depends on how the recovery goes," Ashley-Cooper said.

"He'll be a massive loss for us because Kurtley provides so much to the team, not only in attack but just in the mood and excitement of the group.

"We certainly have our fingers crossed for Kurtley."

Utility back Ashley-Cooper said he would play anywhere that helps the team if Beale fails to make the semifinal between the trans-Tasman rivals.

"I've played my best football where I've actually been changed (positions) that week, so I'll welcome that challenge if it occurs," he said.

Wallaby scrumhalf Will Genia said Australia had the squad strength to cope without Beale.

"It would be a big blow, but you'd have to deal with it. It's not something you can dwell on and worry about," Genia said.

"He's a world-class player, but with the depth that we have in our backline, we'd be able to cope."

Ashley-Cooper, who has played at fullback, in the centres and on the wing for the Wallabies, said he was hoping to get his hands more on the ball against the All Blacks after touching it just once in 80 minutes at outside-centre during the backs-to-the-wall defeat of the Springboks.

"I think I only had one ball carry. I might have touched the ball defensively, in wrapping the ball up, but I'm not sure I had a ball carry," he said.

"It probably doesn't look too good on the stats sheet."

The Wallabies were forced to make 147 tackles to South Africa's 53 and won despite having just 44 percent possession and 24 percent territory in the match.

Ashley-Cooper, recalling his "relief" after the final whistle in Wellington, said: "I don't know if you saw me, but I was on halfway jumping up and down, doing pirouettes, and jumping up and down like a fairy. I was carrying on.

"That might explain the emotion I was going through.

"The whole week I was reflecting on the result back in Marseille (when England defeated Australia in the 2007 quarterfinals) and just what it felt like post-game.

"I tried to share as much as I could with the blokes around me on the feeling they would encounter if we came up short, how unpleasant it is.

"To get the result and go on further than we did four years ago was just pure relief," he added.

Ashley-Cooper said two-times champions Australia had taken huge self-belief out of their gritty win over the Springboks.

"You can take a lot out of it. Knowing we had no possession, we played the majority of the game down in our own 22, they played all the football, they played great football.

"It was just sheer determination and guts that got us the result. We can take a lot of belief out of that."

In a huge confidence boost for the side that rebounded from a final pool loss to Tonga to beat England 19-12 in last week's quarterfinal, Lievremont again stood by his controversial decision to play Morgan Parra at flyhalf.

Specialist No.10 Francois Trinh-Duc remains on the bench, while goal-kicking Dimitri Yachvili partners Parra at scrumhalf for a France team bidding to avoid a repeat of semifinal exits at the 2003 and 2007 World Cups.

Thierry Dusautoir captains the side from flank, alongside Julien Bonnaire and No.8 Imanol Harinordoquy, with Lionel Nallet and Pascal Pape starting in the second row.

Nicolas Mas and Jean-Baptiste Poux prop up hooker William Servat, with Aurelien Rougerie and Maxime Mermoz teaming up in midfield.

The exciting back three sees Maxime Medard at fullback, with Vincent Clerc and Alexis Palisson on the wings.

"It's undoubtedly the best team," said Lievremont after announcing his side on Tuesday.

It was the first time in 43 matches since taking over for the 2008 Six Nations that Lievremont named an unchanged team, mirroring predecessor Bernard Laporte's ill-fated decision to not tinker with the side that shocked New Zealand in the 2007 quarterfinal before losing to England in the semifinals.

"We've notched up three victories over Wales recently but to look ahead at the semifinal with that view would be getting off to a losing start," Lievremont said.

"We have to look for some massive motivation against a Welsh team I find particularly impressive. They have real quality up front, intelligence, courage in defence and a good team spirit."

Lievremont, who played in the France side beaten in the 1999 final by Australia, added: "Fatigue does play a part, but I had no hesitation in picking this team.

"We are Latin, they (Wales) are Anglo-Saxons, more pragmatic. We'll have to seek more stability.

"Advancing into the semifinals is a big deal, we're happy with the players' performance. There was no euphoria after the quarterfinal. We have to remain focused and aggressive.

"We can't rest on our laurels."

Wales, who beat Ireland in their quarterfinal, are due to name their side on Thursday.

France, losing finalists in both 1987 and 1999, have yet to win the World Cup while Wales's best finish saw them come third at the inaugural 1987 edition.

France: 15 Maxime Medard, 14 Vincent Clerc, 13 Aurelien Rougerie, 12 Maxime Mermoz, 11 Alexis Palisson, 10 Morgan Parra, 9 Dimitri Yachvili, 8 Imanol Harinordoquy, 7 Julien Bonnaire, 6 Thierry Dusautoir (captain), 5 Lionel Nallet, 4 Pascal Pape, 3 Nicolas Mas, 2 William Servat, 1 Jean-Baptiste Poux.
Replacements (from): Dimitri Szarzewski, Fabien Barcella, Julien Pierre, Louis Picamoles, Francois Trinh-Duc, David Marty, Cedric Heymans, Fulgence Ouedraogo, Jean Marc Doussain.

Date: Saturday, October 15
Venue: Eden Park, Auckland
Kick-off: 21.00 (08.00 GMT)
Referee: Alain Rolland
Assistant referees: Jonathan Kaplan, Wayne Barnes
TMO: Giulio De Santis

After the crushing disappointment of their 11-9 quarterfinal defeat by Australia on Sunday, Smit said he was "devastated" to be stepping down after seven years as captain of the 2007 world champions.

But the 33-year-old hooker also stated he was proud to have played alongside the likes of Matfield, the 110-Test lock who deputised for him as skipper so often.

"I could sit here for an hour speaking about the value and contribution he has made to South Africa," Smit said after the match at Wellington Regional Stadium.

"Today, again, colossal in the line-outs, leadership sublime, always making sure the right calls are made, his composure. I think the most valuable thing about Victor is how he makes the players around him feel.

"When he's picked in the side, there's a calmness about him, a composure that he possesses, and hopefully the youngsters will have learned from that and will have taken it forward," he added.

'Greatest Bok ever'

Smit, who has played alongside Matfield in the Green and Gold jersey for the best part of a decade, said that the line-out ace is possibly the greatest player to have ever played for South Africa.

"He's a huge player. In my opinion, the greatest Springbok that's ever been," he said.

The team Smit led on to the Wellington pitch had accumulated 836 caps, making it the most-capped starting line-up in Test history.

As well as Smit and 34-year-old Matfield, the Springboks are likely to have seen the last of locks Bakkies Botha (aged 32) and 33-year-old Danie Rossouw. Before the tournament, scrumhalf Fourie du Preez, who is 29, also suggested it could be his last hurrah.

Smit, capped 111 times for South Africa, said: "I have been blessed to be in charge of these guys and run out with them and blessed to be captain of the Springboks. 

"I am devastated today. It's the end of a chapter and I am proud of the guys I have played with and really proud to have been a Springbok," he added.

Matfield said: "I think I'm going to miss it. I love this game. It has been my life over the last 12 years, so it's going to be tough."

However, the Bok coach made it clear that he has not resigned and is waiting for his four year contract to run out at the end of the year.

"I was forced into it by players because a few of them came to me and asked about their futures, but I could not give them answers, because I did not know what mine was," said De Villiers on the arrival of the senior Springbok players in South Africa on Monday.

"Because I could not tell them, it made me feel as if I was not in control. I was the only coach in the tournament who never knew about his future - so the writing is on the wall and.. read it, and, ja, move on."

De Villiers said he felt it was time to move on and see what doors would open for him.

"I never resigned; I just said it was the end of the road for me. There is one logical thing and it is that I had a four-year contract and the day I signed that contract four years back I knew this day would come," said De Villiers.

"So, it will be stupid of me not to live-and-die by the contract... ending in two months' time at the end of December," he said.

The Springboks were defeated 11-9 by Australia in Wellington on Sunday but received a heroes' welcome on their arrival at OR Tambo International Airport. De Villiers said they had not expected to be greeted in such a manner and thanked everyone for their support.

The Wallabies edged the Springboks 11-9 in an epic quarterfinal in Wellington on Sunday, with a 71st-minute penalty by Australian wing James O'Connor clinching the game for the Aussies.

That penalty, for playing a man in the air at the line-out, was one of numerous rulings that left the Boks bemused.

Smit told a post-match media briefing he had discussed with the referee, Lawrence his liberal reading of the breakdown, which allowed Wallaby flank David Pocock to produce a display that won him Man of the Match - but could easily have seen him sin-binned under the stricter interpretation of the rules normally applied by the Kiwi.

"That was the only talking point in the game between me and the referee," Smit said.

"Obviously the message I was trying to get through was not being listened to," Smit added.

Given Kiwi official Lawrence's rulings, Pocock was "brilliant", Smit said.

"We had most of the possession so he had plenty of chances to slow it down," the Bok skipper said.

"He's good at that.

"We decided to be brave and keep the ball and normally you get rewarded as the attacking team but it wasn't quite that way tonight."

He added: "It's the first time I've lost a game on the scoreboard but won everything else from a stats point of view. That makes it even harder to accept."

Smit, who has led the Boks since 2004 - including their 2007 RWC triumph, said his departure after seven years as skipper of the Springboks was a "sad occasion".

"You want it to be a fairytale, you want it to be in a final having won it but it hasn't worked out like that," the 33-year-old said.

"It would be silly of me to take those seven years and judge it on what happened today.

"I've been blessed to be in charge of these guys and run out with them. It's the end of a chapter.

"You look at what's left and what's coming next year, you can pick a pack of forwards - Bismarck [du Plessis] replaces me and Andries Bekker replaces Victor [Matfield] and it doesn't look too bad, so it's really a good place for South Africa."

Coach Peter de Villiers said: "Quarterfinals, semifinals and finals, you take your chances.

"They didn't go our way tonight. We didn't take our chances. Tactically we played the game correctly, in their half.

"Well done to them [Australia], they took the few chances that came their way," he said - describing the atmosphere in the Springbok camp as "three notches lower than a funeral".

Some might view the Springboks, who finished on top of their strong pool after winning all their games, as having a stronger chance than Australia who finished second in their pool after going down to Ireland.

However, that is not the view of the Bok coach who is more than happy to claim the tag of underdogs.

"What I would like to keep in mind is that they did win the last four games [out of five against us]," De Villiers said ahead of the crunch play-off in Wellington.

"I think they drew enough energy and confidence from those four games to make them the favourites."

Not even the shock 15-6 loss the Wallabies suffered against Ireland at Eden Park in the pool stages would have had any real influence to their superior status.

All the key players who missed that shock defeat were available for selection ahead of the third World Cup showdown between the great southern hemisphere rivals.

No team has ever won the William Ellis trophy after losing a match en route to the final. Nor has a reigning Tri-Nations champion had the honour of lifting the World Cup, and the Wallabies will have to break new ground if they are to lift the trophy for a record third time.

"History will be created this weekend and we desperately want our piece of it," said a confident Australian coach Robbie Deans.

"There is no tomorrow unless you create one yourself."

Not looking back

The last time these sides met, in Durban, the Wallabies survived a thundering start by their hosts before recording a tense 14-9 victory.

The Springboks looked flustered in the final 30 minutes of the match and a lack of game time was cited for the loss.

"If we look at the reasons why we couldn't stay competitive for 80 minutes against them, those things are gone now," De Villiers insisted.

"If we can get the same start and the same intensity, we will be able to keep it up for 80 minutes and it will be a great contest."

While De Villiers had to reshuffle his side after losing centre Frans Steyn and lock Bakkies Botha to injury, Deans was able to select the exact same backline that saw his side home in Durban.

Wing Digby Ioane recovered from a broken thumb while centre Pat McCabe, who scored the only try in that match in Durban, was included in the team despite having only recently recovered from a partially broken shoulder.

De Villiers predicted a cracking match.

"It is going to be a tough game," he said.

"It is going to be decided over the full 80 minutes and neither of the two teams is going to lie down."

De Villiers, after selecting the most experienced team in Bok history, believed his seasoned campaigners held the key to their success in the knockout stages.

"That is why we brought the experienced guys to the World Cup, when we needed cool and calm heads, that's what we got on the field and that is very important to us," he said.

McCaw pulled out of two pool matches as he continued to be troubled by a foot injury, dating back to surgery for a stress fracture at the start of the year.

With star playmaker Dan Carter (groin) already out of the tournament, New Zealand could ill-afford to lose their captain and three-times world player of the year as well, and McCaw said Saturday that was not going to happen.

"I'm good to go," the 30-year-old flank insisted. "The foot feels good after a bit of rest at the end of last week and over the weekend so I trained on it yesterday (Friday) and it's good."

His assurance came a day after conflicting signals from All Blacks head coach Graham Henry who said McCaw faced a "big mental challenge" and it was "a matter of trying to make sure he's available" for each remaining game.

Earlier, assistant coach Steve Hansen said McCaw was being kept away from "physical, hard, body-contact stuff" in training.

Hansen's use of the word "pain" sent alarm bells through New Zealand with the country desperate to end a 24-year run without the World Cup, but McCaw denied he required painkillers and dispelled the notion he was in agony.

"I think a little much has been made of that to be quite honest," said McCaw, who in the pool win over France became the first player to appear in 100 Tests for New Zealand.

"It comes and goes. I said it's only a niggle so it's not as though you're running round with something excruciating. Every rugby player deals with niggles over their careers. I've done it for 10 years at times and probably everyone's getting a bit excited about it.

"It's frustrating, there's no doubt when you've got things that are not quite right, but you just deal with them," he added.

McCaw said he had trained with the team on Friday and felt confident he knew how to get his body in shape for a big match.

The All Blacks are heavily favoured to beat Argentina and go on to win the tournament but are mindful the side has failed at the past five World Cups after starting as favourites.

McCaw, who was also captain when New Zealand were knocked out by France in the quarterfinals four years ago, admitted to a few nerves ahead of the Argentina game but said he did not find the pressure of sudden-death rugby inhibiting.

"If you feel that burden or pressure you're not going to, first of all, enjoy it all and you're not going to go out and perform well," he said.

"We've got to see this as an opportunity and we've got to look at what we've done as a rugby team, how you've played and the confidence you've got in the guys around you and make sure we put that on the field."

The All Blacks would be watching what they could of the other three quarterfinals - Ireland v Wales, England v France and Australia v South Africa - but would not get emotionally involved.

"You don't want to get caught up in what might happen," McCaw said, with many New Zealand fans already looking forward to an all Tri-Nations encounter against either the Wallabies or the reigning champion Springboks in the semifinals.

"So you watch it purely from a spectator point of view, while preparing as you would for a Test match, to go out and play well and, after that, what will be will be," he explained.

The Springboks have lost three of their last four games against the Wallabies, former two-time winners of the World Cup, including the final game of the Tri-Nations, which the Australians won for the first time in 10 years.

But Bok vice-captain Victor Matfield said those results meant nothing in the context of Sunday's do-or-die game.

"You can feel the pressure building up to the game," the towering lock said. "It's all about handling that pressure, taking it into the game and using it to your advantage by getting energy from that.

"I truly believe everything that's in the past, is in the past. It doesn't count for anything going in to tomorrow's game."

Matfield joked that the locals might even be cheering for the South Africans rather than the old enemy Australia.

"It feels like they're cheering us," he said. "It's the first time I've been walking around New Zealand and everyone is saying 'good luck' and 'I hope you do well'.

"I think we might be favourites. I think they hate the Aussies more than they hate us, it feels like."

Bok defence will hold

Centre Jean de Villiers warned that the Australian backline was always a danger, but expressed confidence that he and his teammates could handle any attack.

"They've got individuals that can cut you from anywhere on the field," he said. "Luckily for us it's a team sport and we've got quite a big pack of forwards in front of us as well. Hopefully that can help us.

"We have looked at their games and what they tend to do in certain areas of the field so hopefully we can shut them out."

De Villiers added that Australia's gameplan was not always the easiest to read given the unpredictable nature of playmaker Quade Cooper.

"I think the last word you use when you talk about Quade Cooper is predictable. You can expect anything from him," said De Villiers, whose career has been troubled by a raft of serious injuries.

"I think it's fair to say it is the biggest game of my career," the centre said. "Everyone dreams of playing in a World Cup and definitely getting to the knock-out stages is something special," he added.

"Sure, they have exciting runners throughout their team, but our defence has always been solid," Fourie said.

"We hold the record for the least points conceded in the World Cup, and would like to keep it that way. We just have to stay in our pattern."

The broad-shouldered centre, having taken a lot of the responsibility of organising the Springbok line, was undoubtedly set to step it up a notch at Wellington's Cake Tin.

"All our focus is on this game and it is do-or-die," Fourie said.

"We don't want to go home, we want to go all the way."

He attributed a lot of the team's success to the principles that assistant coach Jacques Nienaber had introduced and the hard work he had put in with the team.

Meanwhile, the solution to the Quade Cooper conundrum, Fourie believed, lay in neutralising Wallaby scrumhalf Will Genia.

"Genia is always around rucks and Jacques has emphasised that," he said.

"So the faster we set in, the quicker we get into position and slow down their rucks, and the better it will be for us.

"They have a few steppers, which will make things tougher, and we will have to close up quicker with the guys inside, but the harder we work on defence the harder they have to work on attack.

"But we don't want to defend all the time. We would also like to take the ball through phases."

Fourie said the role fetcher Heinrich Brüssow would play, in ensuring the Wallabies were deprived of quick first-phase ball, would be vital to their cause.

He also highlighted that defensive astuteness would mean little without killer instinct on attack.

"Like in all Tests, it is important to start well, be effective in your execution and use the chances.

"You only get two or three opportunities in a game, and if you don't use them, it will bite you in the butt."

John O'Neill, speaking ahead of the Wallabies quarterfinal against the Springboks in Wellington on Sunday, also warned the tournament could not realistically be called a World Cup if one of the SANZAR nations - South Africa, New Zealand and Australia - did not participate.

The SANZAR nations were, according to O'Neill, unified in their stance against the IRB, which, he added, needed to undergo a management review.

"Our differences within our own (Sanzar) joint venture, we tend to sort them out," O'Neill said.

"The issues on the table at the moment relating to the financial consequences of participating in a World Cup, acutely felt by Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, has brought us together in a very unified way.”

"It's not frivolous, it's a serious matter."

O'Neill added: "We hoped to get the World Cup out the way and in a quieter moment, sit down with the IRB and look at the timing of future World Cups, the distribution policy - how much funding the IRB distributes, particularly to the major unions, and finally the commercial rules, about what you can and can't do during a World Cup.”

"Let's get away from the hurly-burly of the tournament, sit down and resolve these issues together and not be caught in the divide and conquer, north (northern hemisphere) versus south, which I think is the objective of some people."

O'Neill did not repeat his New Zealand counterpart Steve Tew's threat to boycott the 2015 World Cup in England should the financial arrangements in place by then not meet with his organisation's approval.

"We'll double-cross that bridge when we get to it," O'Neill joked when asked if there was a chance Australia could pull out.

"I'm hopeful of a sensible resolution.”

"Threatening to boycott a World Cup is not our style, but equally, the notion that any team is replaceable is nonsensical," he added in a deliberate echo of the comment made by IRB Chief Executive Mike Miller who, when asked if a World Cup "needed" New Zealand, replied: "Everyone is replaceable."

However, O'Neill said: "A World Cup without the All Blacks, Wallabies or Springboks, I'm not sure you'd be calling a World Cup. But that's not a path we want to go down on.”

"We think the resolutions are there, with a bit of give and take and it's about the IRB governing the game globally, not just about hemispheres."

O'Neill said the ARU would lose A$16 million ($15.6 million) from taking part in this World Cup, with the amount for the three Sanzar nations hitting A$38 million ($37.1 million).

"If you go from seven Tests in a normal domestic season down to two, (you lose) broadcasters, sponsors and gate revenue," he said. "It's very easily calculated and supported."

O'Neill also had a parting shot at the Dublin-based IRB, saying: "We're 16 years into the professional era and a lot of things have happened. Largely very good things: Super Rugby, Heineken (European) Cup, Six Nations, expanded Four Nations next year, World Cups every four years.”

"But everyone's got to move with the times and I think it's timely to have a serious look at the governance and management structures of the IRB."

Wales captain Sam Warburton goes up against Ireland dynamo Sean O'Brien, current European player of the year, while Australian David Pocock faces a battle royale against Springbok fetcher Heinrich Brussouw.

The breakdown has increasingly become the key aspect of play in rugby union, and a proven exponent of the "tackle and jackal" is worth his weight in gold.

An openside in defence must display a rare turn of speed, an ability to tackle and the strength and foresight to quickly rebound in a bid to snag the ball from the attacking side, or at least slow it down.

Turnovers are their manna, instantly putting the other side on the back foot.

In attack, the openside is expected to be happy as a ball-carrying weapon to punch holes in defences and also offer invaluable support to other runners, be it at the breakdown or at offload time.

In Warburton, O'Brien, Pocock and Brussouw, fans will have the best of both the northern and southern hemispheres to cheer on, All Blacks skipper Richie McCaw - in action in Auckland against Argentina - notwithstanding.

"It's a small battle within a large war," Wales assistant coach Shaun Edwards said of the likely tussle for dominance between Warburton and O'Brien.

"They're different sorts of players. One of Sam's strengths is definitely on the floor, and he proved that when he played against Brussouw, he pretty much dominated the breakdowns in that game, getting six turnovers.

"O'Brien's more a power runner, very explosive. In a year-and-a-half's time they'll be fighting for the number 7 shirt on the (British and Irish) Lions tour, maybe playing in the same backrow, who knows?"

Experienced Australian backrower Rocky Elsom warned the breakdown would be key, especially in the knock-out phase of the World Cup.

"If you ever discount the breakdown you're going to be in trouble, particularly as we get to the pointy end of the tournament," he said.

"That's going to be an area of contention, because any team that gets the dominance at the breakdown they're going to provide front-foot ball for their attack and that is an enormous part of the game.

"If you look at the teams whose attack has really stuttered, you can almost always link it back to the breakdown."

Springbok flanker Brussouw said he rated Pocock, whom Australia sorely missed in their shock 15-6 pool loss to Ireland, as one of the best flankers around.

"He has played solidly for his team for the last two years and has been important for his team," Brussouw said.

"Pocock is not just a fetcher," he said. "He has other very good qualities.

"Having a guy like him back is a huge confidence booster because he helps his team get into better defensive positions by slowing down the ball and stealing ball.

"He's like me, in that we don't carry a lot of ball because we'd rather make sure we get to the rucks and Australia's main gameplan is based on quick ball."

Springbok coach Peter de Villiers added: "We have two of the best players who play at the ball in world rugby out on the field with David and Heinrich so it's going to be a great contest.

"They are very good at breakdown time, and that's where (Australia) get all their play from turnovers but we have to look after our ball carefully and put good phases together."

There's a further positional change with midfielder Sonny Bill Williams moving to the wing where fellow backs Israel Dagg and Richard Kahui (both bruised thighs) and Zac Guildford (hamstring) have all been ruled out by injury.

As the team begins life without mercurial flyhalf Dan Carter, now out of the tournament with a serious groin injury, understudy Colin Slade has been confirmed as the immediate heir apparent in the crucial playmaking position.

"He's getting better, he's more comfortable in the group. He's obviously the navigator of the team playing there, playing at 10," said coach Graham Henry after revealing his team for Sunday's Last Eight fixture.

"So that's a big ask when he's playing with guys who have played 100 Test matches and 85 Test matches and so on and he's playing his 10th."

Experienced scrumhalf Piri Weepu - who is also adept as a kicking No.10 - will start behind the scrum but Henry indicated no final decision had been made on who would take shots at goal.

Other changes in the All Blacks backs see Cory Jane back on the wing and Ma'a Nonu returns at second five-eighth, as Sonny Bill Williams moves out two places to the left-wing.

In the forwards, Richie McCaw comes back on the flank despite an ongoing foot problem, Keven Mealamu returns at hooker and hardman Brad Thorn replaces fellow veteran Ali Williams at lock.

Henry said McCaw was looking after his foot as best he can, revealing: "It's an ongoing thing, he just has to do what he can do during the week to perform on the weekend."

Muliaina, who made his Test debut in 2003, becomes the second All Black to reach the century milestone at international level - following captain McCaw's 100th Test against France two weeks ago.

"I want to congratulate Mils on this outstanding achievement. He is a special man and has been a world-class All Black for many years," enthused Henry.

"The consummate professional really, as well as a very influential member of the All Blacks leadership group."

Aaron Cruden, who was called into the All Blacks to replace Carter, has been named on the bench.

The All Blacks and Argentina have played each other 13 times with the All Blacks winning 12 and one drawn, but Henry is not taking them lightly, noting they went close to beating England in their opening game.

"They're always a competitive side, a difficult team to play, very physical," he said. "Their pack drives well and scrums well, good at the breakdown so it will be a difficult game."

Looking further ahead to the weekend, after a tough week, Henry said: "There has been a real feeling of positive anticipation in the squad this week now that we have finished the pool play rounds and are into the quarterfinals.

"There is excitement amongst the team and we have had a good build-up on the North Shore this week, but there is also a realisation that this is sudden-death, finals rugby."

New Zealand: 15 Mils Muliaina, 14 Cory Jane, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Ma'a Nonu, 11 Sonny Bill Williams, 10 Colin Slade, 9 Piri Weepu, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Richie McCaw (captain), 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Sam Whitelock, 4 Brad Thorn, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Keven Mealamu, 1 Tony Woodcock.
Replacements: 16 Andrew Hore, 17 Ben Franks, 18 Ali Williams, 19 Victor Vito, 20 Jimmy Cowan, 21 Aaron Cruden, 22 Isaia Toeava.

Date: Sunday, October 9
Venue: Eden Park, Auckland
Kick-off: 20.30 (07.30 GMT)
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant referees: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa), George Clancy (Ireland)
TMO: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)

Fullback Kurtley Beale, wing Digby Ioane and inside centre Pat McCabe all return from injuries, three of seven changes to the side that beat Russia 68-22 in its final Pool C match last week.

Beale replaces injured wing Drew Mitchell, with James O'Connor relocating back to the right wing, McCabe steps in for Berrick Barnes, while Ioane resumes in the place of stand-in Radike Samo, who returns to his favoured No.8 berth.

Samo's return to the back of the scrum is one of five changes to the forwards, with flank Rocky Elsom, second row Dan Vickerman, tighthead prop Ben Alexander and loosehead prop Sekope Kepu all reinstated.

"We've gone with the players, and the combinations, which have served us best through the year to date," Wallabies coach Robbie Deans said after the team was announced Friday.

"Obviously injury, and managing individual player workloads, has been a factor in selection through the tournament so far, but fortunately a lot of the injury problems that we've had are now behind us.

"The players that are coming back into the team after breaks are good to go."

One of those is McCabe, who has overcome a sub-luxed shoulder, suffered after coming off the bench as a replacement during the 67-5 defeat of the United States of America in Wellington two weeks ago.

Prior to the injury, which forced the 23-year-old to miss last weekend's match, he had occupied the Wallabies inside centre position for seven consecutive Tests this year.

This includes both of Australia's previous Test wins over its quarter-final opponent.

The full Australian backline for Sunday's game is the same as that which featured when the Wallabies beat South Africa 14-9 in Durban two months ago en-route to the country's first Tri-Nations title in a decade.

All but two of the starting forwards are also the same, with the differences being that Samo starts, after coming from the bench at King's Park, while Vickerman takes over as the starting second row from Sharpe.

Australia: 15 Kurtley Beale, 14 James O'Connor, 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12 Pat McCabe, 11 Digby Ioane, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia, 8 Radike Samo, 7 David Pocock, 6 Rocky Elsom, 5 James Horwill (captain), 4 Dan Vickerman, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Sekope Kepu.
Replacements: 16 Tatafu Polota Nau, 17 James Slipper, 18 Nathan Sharpe, 19 Ben McCalman, 20 Luke Burgess, 21 Berrick Barnes, 22 Anthony Fainga'a.

Date: Sunday, October 9
Venue: Regional Stadium, Wellington
Kick-off: 18.00 (05.00 GMT)
Referee: Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Dave Pearson (England, Romain Poite (France)
TMO: Giulio De Santis (Italy)

Sapolu, who is to appear before a misconduct hearing next Saturday to face charges that he is in breach of the World Cup and International Rugby Board Code of Conduct in relation to comments made about referee Nigel Owens, has launched another tirade at the IRB on the social media network Twitter.

Having already called Owens a racist - as well as having accused World Cup officials of slavery, while dragging the Holocaust and Apartheid into his numerous rants, this time he blasted the IRB for not acknowledging his country's worst natural disaster.

"Our dead not good enough" he said in a message sent Thursday, noting there was a minute's silence before the United States' World Cup game against Ireland on the anniversary of the September 11 terror attacks.

Sapolu, provisionally suspended from all rugby for calling Welsh referee Nigel Owen "racist", criticised the lack of a memorial for Samoa when they played on the anniversary of a destructive tsunami which claimed 143 lives.

"Minute of silence for USA for 9/11, nothing for Samoa for tsunami. Both games played anniversary days. Our dead not good enough."

However, an IRB spokesman told AFP on Thursday they had acknowledged the tsunami, saying: "As agreed with the Samoa Rugby Union, the date was respectfully commemorated with a public address immediately prior to kick-off and also the wearing of black armbands to remember those who tragically lost their lives."

Sapolu has been in hot water with the IRB for his outbursts throughout the tournament, which began when he said his side was being exploited with a tough schedule which he likened to "slavery" and "the Holocaust".

He escaped punishment then when Samoan officials apologised, but was suspended this week when he failed to appear at a disciplinary hearing over his outburst about Owens.

The criticism of the referee followed a 5-13 defeat by South Africa that ended Samoa's involvement in the World Cup.

The Gloucester midfielder showed up at a reconvened hearing on Wednesday and the IRB agreed to his request to have proceedings rescheduled until October 15, but said his suspension would stand until then.

He was also told "to refrain from further comment on the case" but the directive did not appear to include remarks about other issues.

Samoa played South Africa on the anniversary of the September 29, 2009, tsunami which pounded into the Pacific island nation, killing 143 people, and also claiming 34 lives in American Samoa and nine in Tonga.

Sapolu told reporters before that game how the devastation had left an indelible mark on a tight-knit community.

"We think about that before every game. We think about that every day. That is part of our history," he said.

Alexander admitted Australia's scrum "had a long way to go" and said South Africa had a more-than-capable replacement for Botha at lock in Danie Rossouw.

"They just keep producing one massive lock after another, they've got a production line there," Alexander said.

"Danie's a great player, an excellent ball carrier, he's just as big and just as physical [as Botha] and he's almost got as many Tests [62 to Botha's 76], so they won't miss him too much."

Alexander said the Wallabies had learned from their shock 6-15 loss to Ireland in the pool phase, where the Irish forwards dominated, and were determined to improve against reigning champions South Africa in Wellington.

"We were beaten to the punch early on and allowed them to assert their dominance," he said.

"We've been putting a lot of hard work into our scrummaging and we've started to see some results - obviously the Ireland game was a bit of a slip-up.

"The great sides at scrum time are consistent, they scrum well every scrum, every game and don't take any backward steps ever.

"We unfortunately did, so it proves we've got a long way to go, but we're happy with the way we're tracking and our best is still to come."

He said Australia's two wins over the Springboks in this year's Tri-Nations "count for nothing" at the World Cup, as South Africa's line-up then was largely experimental but had now become match-hardened after emerging from a tough pool.

In good news for Australia, Alexander said openside flank David Pocock was fully fit after playing the first half of the Wallabies' 68-22 win over Russia.

"He's a great boost to the side, he a good ball runner and a great defender, he's one of the top few in the breakdown in the world," Alexander said.

Habana, who was named the International Rugby Board (IRB) player of the year in 2007 after scoring a record-equalling eight tries during South Africa's winning cup-run in France, was reluctant to compare the 2011 Springboks with the team of four years ago.

But the 28-year-old said he was not planning on taking an early flight home after Sunday's quarter-final against Australia in Wellington.

"We set ourselves goals and I think we're realistic about how good we are and how far we can go," he told reporters.

"As individuals and as a team, we truly believe we can go all this way."

Asked to assess the differences between 2007 and 2011, Habana said the current team had a shorter preparation for the tournament and had more injury problems, including the loss of lock Bakkies Botha and centre Frans Steyn.

"So it's been a little bit difficult but we're all proud of where we are," he said.

'Anything can happen'

Habana dismissed suggestions Australia had a psychological advantage over South Africa after beating the Springboks in five of their last six meetings, including two wins in this year's Tri-Nations competition.

"They could have felt that way about Ireland as well," he said, referring to Australia's shock 15-6 loss to Ireland in the pool stage.

"Anything can happen in this competition. So yes, they've got the edge over us at the moment but in a knockout game that means nothing."

The South African said he hoped the weather would not play a major part in the result, predicting "their (Australia's) backs are going to be pretty lethal if it's dry".

But he said if the rain that has lashed Wellington in recent days cleared up by Sunday as forecast, the Springboks had also showed a willingness to play positive rugby in defeating Fiji 49-3 and Namibia 87-0 during the pool stage.

"We actually enjoyed throwing it around a bit," he said.

"We're expecting a great confrontation on Sunday, with flair from their great backs and a strong physical challenge from their forwards, who have really stepped up to the mark in the last couple of years."

Habana revealed Botha made an emotional farewell to the team Thursday after being ruled out of the tournament due to an injury he suffered in training, saying he hoped to see the veteran back in a Springbok jersey.

"Bakkies had a talk to the team this morning and it did get a bit emotional," Habana said.

"You've got a guy that's really given his heart to this country for the last 10 years.

"He's become a good friend to a lot of us... it was a bit sombre in the team room this morning, Bakkies said 'you never know when it's going to be your last game'... it's tough for the team."

"As long as we are in the tournament I'm confident he will be able to play," All Blacks assistant coach Steven Hansen confirmed Thursday.

The All Blacks skipper continued to be troubled by the injury that kept him out of the pool match against Canada and sidelined him for much of the Super Rugby season earlier in the year.

After losing star flyhalf Dan Carter for the rest of the World Cup because of a serious groin injury, the last thing the tournament favourites need is to be without McCaw as well and Hansen was definite that would not happen.

The troublesome foot would be managed with the openside flank on a restricted training schedule and wearing running shoes rather than boots in the lead up to the All Blacks quarterfinal match against Argentina in Auckland on Sunday.

To help him, he trains in shoes instead of boots, and Hansen said the coaching staff don't let McCaw practice as hard as the other players.

Hansen added: "We don't get him involved in the clean-outs for example, the physical hard body contact stuff."

"We know that he's had a foot problem for a while and he just manages it. He just has to have it managed.

"We're down to the business end and while we're still in the tournament he'll be available, but we're just going to have to make sure we do what we've done with it all year."

The 30-year-old McCaw, who became the first All Black to play 100 Tests in the 37-17 World Cup pool victory over France, had a screw inserted in his right foot at the start of the year when he underwent surgery for a stress fracture.

He missed the first two months of the Super Rugby season and played a restricted role on his return because of the troublesome soreness.

McCaw referred to it as a "niggle" that had bothered him since the operation.

"Every week, to some degree, it is a bit niggly," he said when he ruled himself out of the Canada game last weekend to avoid the risk of further damage before the knockout phase of the tournament.

"It's just one of those things. It probably needs a rest, to be fair.

"It was a bit frustrating but it is a niggle I have dealt with for a while. It's just not quite right."

The possibility of further surgery after the World Cup has not been ruled out, but Hansen said McCaw would not be playing if there was a risk of long-term damage.

The only other injury concern for the All Blacks was to wing Zac Guildford, who suffered a slight hamstring tear in training on Wednesday and would not be considered for the All Blacks team to be named Friday to play Argentina.

Hansen also attempted to downplay the significance of McCaw's injury saying it was not different to all players in the other seven teams still in the tournament.

"Everyone at this stage in the tournament in every team is playing through a bit of pain," he said, adding that how they managed it was the main issue.

"How many Tests have we had over the last six or seven weeks, including the pre-season Tests that the northern hemisphere guys would have had?," former Wales coach Hansen asked.

"They probably played six or seven Tests so people are going to be carrying little niggles and it's just how big a threshold you've got for that pain."

The team had moved on without Carter, and Hansen said the All Blacks won't lose the World Cup because Carter wasn't playing.

"We'll lose it because we haven't played well enough," he said.

As for who now would kick for goal, Hansen said it was a tossup between flyhalf Colin Slade and scrumhalf Piri Weepu.

"Both of them are very, very good kickers. Colin Slade's actually kicked more conversions than anyone else in the tournament. So he's kicking well. But when Piri came on the other day [against Canada], in very, very difficult conditions, he kicked well. We'll make the decision that's right for the team on the day."

Against Canada, Slade nailed five of nine kicks in Wellington's swirling wind before he was shifted to the wing, then replaced as a precaution.

Weepu was sent in at flyhalf and hit four from four on his home ground.

Weepu's goal-kicking form pleased the coaches.

"Certainly it gives him another tool in his toolbox," Hansen said, adding: "and when you're selecting a side and you've got one guy that is very good at that and another guy who's very good but doesn't have that extra tool, clearly you're going to go for the guy who has the extra tool in the toolbox."

New Zealand name their squad on Friday.

Williams returns to his usual left wing berth, with Leigh Halfpenny shifting to fullback in place of Lee Byrne who drops out of the match-day 22.

Teenager George North switches from left to right wing to accommodate Williams.

Lydiate is back from an ankle injury to replace Ryan Jones at blindside flank, while Jonathan Davies comes back into midfield alongside Jamie Roberts, Scott Williams dropping to the bench.

Alun Wyn Jones takes the place of Bradley Davies in the second row, the latter named as a replacement alongside James Hook, with no place for veteran playmaker Stephen Jones.

"It's a great position to be in when you are struggling to find a place for players in the squad and the starting line-up instead of having to think who can make up the numbers, which has sometimes been the case," said Gatland.

"This is the World Cup quarterfinal time and we had some tough decisions to make with the likes of Dan, Shane and James returning from injury and the side having done so well in their absence," the New Zealander explained.

"We believe this is the side which gives us the best chance of winning this game against an Ireland team which not only topped their group but beat the Wallabies on the way," former Ireland coach Gatland added.

The front row is unchanged, with Adam Jones and Gethin Jenkins propping up Huw Bennett, while Mike Phillips and Rhys Priestland again start at scrumhalf.

"They've got no fear factor, they've got no history," Gatland added of his young team, captained by 23-year-old flank Sam Warburton, who packs down alongside 20-year-old No.8 Toby Faletau.

"We have a balance we haven't had before, the best we've ever had," the Kiwi said, dubbing the younger players "pretty special".

"We're not changing the way we play, we're just making good decisions.

"The nice thing is that some of the older players know they have youngsters biting at their ankles and that has brought the best out of the older players."

Wales: 15 Leigh Halfpenny, 14 George North, 13 Jonathan Davies, 12 Jamie Roberts, 11 Shane Williams, 10 Rhys Priestland, 9 Mike Phillips, 8 Toby Faletau, 7 Sam Warburton (captain), 6 Dan Lydiate, 5 Alun Wyn Jones, 4 Luke Charteris, 3 Adam Jones, 2 Huw Bennett, 1 Gethin Jenkins.
Replacements: 16 Lloyd Burns, 17 Paul James, 18 Bradley Davies, 19 Ryan Jones, 20 Lloyd Williams, 21 James Hook, 22 Scott Williams.

Date: Saturday, October 8
Venue: Regional Stadium, Wellington
Kick-off: 18.00 (05.00 GMT)
Referee: Craig Joubert
Assistant referees: Wayne Barnes, Romain Poite
TMO: Giulio De Santis

Mike Tindall's unsuccessful battle with a leg injury eased the vexed decision for Johnson, who Thursday named Flood at inside centre next to No.10 Wilkinson - as the 2003 champions England continue their quest for a third successive World Cup Final appearance.

Wilkinson is England's record points scorer with 1 177, but he has managed just nine out of his 20 goal attempts in the tournament and questions have been raised about the 32-year-old golden boy's effectiveness.

"It's an exciting combination for us, it gives us Toby's kicking and passing game and he's a pretty experienced player now with 40-odd Test caps, so he's been playing well," Johnson said at Thursday's team announcement.

"Jonny has had a lot of long kicks in the tournament and he's never flinched from having a shot so you go into a game like this and you don't want to be playing against Jonny Wilkinson."

Wilkinson was the drop-goal hero of England's 2003 World Cup Final win over Australia in Sydney, when Johnson was captain.

Johnson said he was looking at increasing England's tempo after he was frustrated with his team's laboured display in their 16-12 win over Scotland in the final pool game at Eden Park last weekend.

"We've got to get tempo into our game, we didn't do that last week and we let Scotland get the initiative early on," he said.

"We really need to be that little bit better in the first 20 minutes and give ourselves a platform to go on from instead of fighting back from."

It was replacement Flood's long pass that prised open the Scots' defence for wing Chris Ashton to score the winning try with two minutes left.

Flood came on late in the Scotland match after Tindall suffered a leg injury and he has not trained this week, while Wilkinson has been cleared of elbow trouble.

"Mike's had an injury this week and we didn't know at the start of the week where he would be, we're pretty confident where Jonny would be, Mike's taken a bit longer and we've made our call," Johnson said.

"Touch and go, Mike could have been fit to go on Saturday, but he's not trained with us this week and Toby's been playing very well and we've made the call.

"We've got a strong bench and we're going to need them for this match. We've picked the best team for this week."

Johnson made several other changes with French-based lock Tom Palmer, No.8 Nick Easter and wing Mark Cueto replacing Courtney Lawes, James Haskell and the banned Delon Armitage respectively.

"Nick has missed a few games with injury and we felt it right for James [Haskell] to start last week," Johnson said.

"Nick brings a lot of experience in that specialist position at No 8 and a good degree of game control as well.

"Tom Palmer has a huge work-rate, a player who is less visible than some, but does a huge amount of good work for us.

"It's do or die, a World Cup quarterfinal, you have to start big and there's no holding yourself back for anything, so we've got five forwards on the bench and it's going to be that type of game," the former lock added.

"We've got a chance to impact the game and change its course in the second half with those substitutions."

England have knocked France out of the last two World Cups, beating them in both the 2003 and 2007 semifinals.

England: 15 Ben Foden, 14 Chris Ashton, 13 Manu Tuilagi, 12 Toby Flood, 11 Mark Cueto, 10 Jonny Wilkinson, 9 Ben Youngs, 8 Nick Easter, 7 Lewis Moody (captain), 6 Tom Croft, 5 Tom Palmer, 4 Louis Deacon, 3 Dan Cole, 2 Steve Thompson, 1 Matt Stevens.
Replacements: 16 Dylan Hartley, 17 Alex Corbisiero, 18 Courtney Lawes, 19 Simon Shaw, 20 James Haskell, 21 Richard Wigglesworth, 22 Matt Banahan.

Date: Saturday, October 8
Venue: Eden Park, Auckland
Kick-off: 20.30 (07.30 GMT)
Referee: Steve Walsh
Assistant referees: Alain Rolland, George Clancy
TMO: Shaun Veldsman

The announcement for Botha to depart New Zealand was made on Thursday, after the 76-Test veteran suffered another injury during training 24 hours earlier.

The 32-year-old second row forward leaves New Zealand on Friday to become the second Springbok player in a week to be forced out.

Centre Frans Steyn departed on Tuesday because of a shoulder injury.

A decision on a replacement has been postponed pending the outcome of Sunday's quarterfinal against Australia in Wellington.

Botha, 32, said that it had been an emotional decision to admit his World Cup was over, but that he still intended to return to Springbok team.

"I am a person who normally keeps my emotions out of sight, but it was emotional to talk to the team this [Thursday] morning and tell them I would be going home," he said.

"I told the team to cherish every moment of their time in the green and gold because you never know when it is going to be your last.

"I'm very disappointed - after all the hard work that has been put in over the past few months - but it's not about me, it's about the team now and there's still a big job to do.

"I'll be sitting at home with my family on Sunday with a tear on my cheek as the team takes on the Wallabies.

"But we can't stop here - there are still three games left to play."

This is not the end

Botha said he would see a specialist on his return in order to determine what course of action was required so he could be ready to take up his three-year contract with Toulon in France on November 1.    

"This is definitely not the end of my Test career as far as I am concerned," he said.

"I'll be aiming to give 100 percent to Toulon to help them get into the Heineken Cup and I'll still be available for South Africa next year.

"I still have the desire to play for my country and that will be there for as long as I play. It's a special thing to pull on this jersey and that hunger has not left me."

Botha made his Test debut against France in 2002 and was appearing at his third World Cup - having collected a winner's medal at the 2007 tournament.

He started in the Pool D wins over Fiji (although he did not return to the field after the half-time interval) and Namibia (when he left the field with signs of discomfort in the 50th minute) in this tournament, but Achilles and hamstring injuries kept him out of the matches against Wales and Samoa.

The latest Achilles tendon injury was a new injury, he said, affecting the opposite ankle.

"I knew straight away that something wasn't right," he said.

"I knew I wasn't going to be 100 percent and with great players like Victor [Matfield], Danie [Rossouw] and Johann [Muller] all fit there was no need for me to hang around and be a distraction to the team."

Meanwhile, wing JP Pietersen successfully completed a fitness test on his injured knee at Thursday's training run and was declared fit to take his place on the right wing.

South Africa: 15 Pat Lambie, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Schalk Burger, 6 Heinrich Brüssow, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Danie Rossouw, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 John Smit (captain), 1 Gurthrö Steenkamp.
Replacements: 16 Bismarck du Plessis, 17 CJ van der Linde, 18 Willem Alberts, 19 Francois Louw, 20 Francois Hougaard, 21 Butch James, 22 Gio Aplon.

Date: Sunday, October 9
Venue: Regional Stadium, Wellington
Kick-off: 18.00 (05.00 GMT)
Referee: Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Dave Pearson (England, Romain Poite (France)
TMO: Giulio De Santis (Italy)

"I think as a tight forward it is the most daunting thing to play against Australia," Du Plessis said on Wednesday.

"You know once or twice in the game you are going to have to defend against a guy like Quade Cooper, who can beat any backline player on his day, and a guy like Will Genia who can break the line and get the pass away.

"So as a big tight forward you get sleepless nights about that because you know one missed tackle can cost your team the game."

A scramble

Considering the Springboks conceded the least amount of points in the pool stages of the World Cup - only 24 points were scored against them - the fact that they missed 26 tackles (including half breaks) on average per match, points towards outstanding work in scramble defence.

Du Plessis highlighted that cohesion and trust were key ingredients to the team's defensive system, which had shown drastic improvement since Stormers expert Jacques Nienaber had been roped in by team management.

"I think the challenge is to believe in the systems and to know that your teammates are going to be there for you because there has never been a game where nobody has missed a tackle," he said.

"So the secret is to believe that the system will help if you make a mistake.

"Nobody makes a mistake on purpose, so there is someone who will cover for you - that is the beauty of team sport."

Respect for Wallaby pack

Heading into Sunday's quarterfinal in Wellington, the Wallaby pack had been criticised for their poor performance against Ireland, contributing to the 15-6 loss they suffered in their Pool C match.

For the big Sharks tighthead, however, that performance was not as bad it appeared to be to many outsiders.

"I watched the game against Ireland and quite a few of the decisions could have gone either way or it could have been a reset scrum," Du Plessis said.

"I think the rub of the green on the day went against them a little.

"The Irish pack also played well on the day which the gave the impression they were under pressure, but I think the Australian pack has played well against all the packs in the past 18 months."

With the heavy, gray skies above New Zealand's capital dumping almost constant rain on Wellington Regional Stadium so far this week, both sides are prepared to adapt their game to the conditions.

Australia flyhalf Quade Cooper says the wind is an even bigger concern as "you might have to hold onto the ball because there's no point kicking and it going back over your head."

Both teams trained on a wet Wednesday morning, aiming to get a feel for the conditions if things fail to improve for the weekend.

Pietersen has been given until Thursday to prove his fitness to take up a place in the Springboks starting XV.

He picked up a knee injury during South Africa's 13-5 victory over Samoa last week and was not able to train with his teammates on Wednesday.

Bryan Habana, who is recovering from a haematoma and Francois Hougaard who suffered a blow to his head, were part of a rehabilitation squad that included flank Heinrich Brussow.

The trio trained under the watchful eye of the Springbok medical staff while their team mates made some final adjustments ahead of the knock-out match.

The Springbok team will now be announced on Thursday (Wednesday, 8pm SA-time) and chances are that Pietersen will not be included in the team.

"I feel confident but I haven't run yet so I'll feel more confident if I had a good running session behind me," said Pietersen.

"You definitely don't want to play at 80 percent of your ability on Sunday and that is why I'm doing my fitness test tomorrow [Thursday] and if I don't feel comfortable I'll probably have to pull out."

Should Pietersen not make it in time, he will miss out on his chance to face up to Wallaby wing Digby Ioane who he described as a game breaker in the Australian squad.

"I think he (Ioane) is the only wing that is left there because Drew Mitchell is also injured, but he has been amazing for them and you could see in all the matches he has been a game breaker for them and has put them on the front foot so his return is a big boost for them.

"You always want to match yourself against the best players and he has proven that he is one of the outstanding wings. I played against him in the Tri-Nations and it was quite a good challenge," said Pietersen.

"That first taste of rugby at this level was almost like giving a very thirsty man one sip of water on a very hot day. He would then obviously want more and that is where I am at the moment," Aplon said.

While there is a chance he could be included in the team because of injuries to Bryan Habana, JP Pietersen and Francois Hougaard picked-up during South Africa's bruising 13-5 victory over Samoa last week, Aplon insisted that he would not be over enthusiastic should he make the team.

"I am very keen to play, but it is important not to be over-eager," he said.

"It is all about the team and when they need me I will be ready."

Selecting Aplon, who's skills set was fine tuned on the Sevens circuit, could come in handy against a side that has some of the most explosive backline players in the modern game.

The Western Province wing-cum-fullback said that the Springbok backs are well aware of the daunting challenge they face this week.

"We have to look at our game going into the game, but we have to keep in mind that they have dangerous backs like Beale, O'Connor and Cooper, and they are dangerous on any day… we have yet to experience the kind of game they will bring in the quarterfinals because we did not face a team that plays the kind of rugby they did in the league stages."

Australia have also announced that the illusive Digby Ioane would be available for the match after he had fractured his thumb in his team's opening match against Italy.

Aplon said that regardless of who is selected, the Springboks would treat their opponents with the respect they deserve.

"This is a quarterfinal, if we don't win we go home and although Australia lost against Ireland, they are still the Tri-Nations champions.

"On Sunday we will treat them with respect, with the knowledge that they will want to do well and make up for their defeat against Ireland by going further in the competition."

Captained by Sam Warburton, who turned 23 on Wednesday, the Welsh have demonstrated both a silky attack and a hard-nosed defence during the tournament, with the likes of 19-year-old wing George North and 20-year-old No 8 Toby Faletau coming to the fore.

"The players and management are happy with the way we're progressing," the 33-year-old Jones told reporters on Wednesday.

"We've been fortunate with injuries. Our game has been evolving and developing nicely," added Jones, Wales's record cap-holder with 102 Test appearances for his country behind him.

"Team morale is fantastic. It's a young squad. With the younger players, they're more fearless, and they go out there and back themselves, that's what our guys have done.

"They've gone out there and thrown the ball around."

After a one-point loss to champions South Africa and a narrow victory over Samoa in the first two pool games, Wales then notched up 147 points against Namibia and 2007 nemesis Fiji, conceding just one converted interception try.

"What we can't become is predictable in attack, we have to have variety and we're confident that our gameplan gives us that," said Scarlets star Jones, who may be on the bench at the weekend given the form of club-mate Rhys Priestland.

"It's important that we can manipulate defences so that we can play a great style of rugby. What's important is that we go out and express ourselves."

Jones added: "We've had so many good youngsters come through, put their hand up and the way they've been playing they've raised the bar. That really has had a good knock-on effect for the rest of the squad.

"It's certainly the most competitve squad I've been part of," insisted Jones, also capped six times by the British and Irish Lions.

"It gives the coaches problems, it's a nice situation to be in, I suppose.

"Everyone's challenging and knocking on the door."

Skills coach Neil Jenkins, himself a former Wales fly-half and a Lion, added that confidence had swelled following the pool stages.

"In terms of conditioning, the boys are in fantastic shape, there's been a lot of hard work leading up to the World Cup and that's put us in good stead for the games here," Jenkins said.

"We knew we were in probably the toughest group of all, a very tough physical group. We managed to come through that. Obviously we lost to the Springboks first up, but the game could have gone either way and we took a lot of confidence from that as well, and then there was a fantastic win against Samoa.

"The four games we played so far, we're in pretty good shape.

"We always try to play an entertaining style of rugby but it's also about winning at the end of the day, so we try to get the balance right and do the right thing at the right time."

Best suffered a shoulder injury in last week's 36-6 victory against Italy in Dunedin that saw Pool C winners Ireland into the knockout phase of the tournament.

Ireland would clearly like to field an unchanged team, but while Best was included in coach Declan Kidney's starting side announced here on Wednesday, he was also bracketed alongside Sean Cronin.

And it was a case of either Cronin or Damien Varley on the bench, with the question of who goes where all resting on the pace of Best's recovery.

"He made great progress and if he keeps going he'll be a chance," Kidney said of Best's propects.

Ireland will be bidding for a first World Cup semi-final this weekend in a match many pundits reckon is too close to call.

Although the Irish have won nine out of their last 12 Tests against Wales they were beaten 19-13 when the teams last met in Cardiff in the Six Nations in March.

However, Earls - who scored two tries against Italy - said: "I have a strange feeling that everything is going right in the group and everyone is so happy.

"I just keep imagining ourselves in the final, that's all I can do is imagine that and concentrate on the game, but it is a strange feeling I have.

"We owe Wales one, we were beaten this year and hopefully we'll go on and get a victory," added Earls, who said visualising success was a trick he'd learned from sports psychologists.

"When you're on a world stage you want to do well and visualise yourself being the hero, visualise the team walking around doing laps of honour and stuff like that. It's dreaming more than anything, you have to stay positive."

But Ireland captain Brian O'Driscoll, speaking before Earls made his comments at Wednesday's team announcement news conference, was typically pragmatic.

"Why would you even contemplate thinking about a semi-final or the prospect of a final when you've got a quarter-final this weekend?" O'Driscoll said.

"If we don't win this weekend we're on the plane home. We've got way too much respect for Wales to be looking beyond them."

Kidney, understandably, stuck with his half-back pairing of Conor Murray and Ronan O'Gara after the duo starred when united for the win over Italy, although he has proven bench cover for the pair in scrum-half Eoin Reddan and fly-half Jonathan Sexton.

O'Gara may be a fine controlling No 10 but doubts do still remain about the defensive side of his game.

However, Kidney dismissed suggestions Wales would target O'Gara at the Wellington Regional Stadium.

"They have quite an array of places where they can attack, I don't think they'll pick anyone in particular," Kidney said. "It's going to be a case of everyone defending their own zone."

Wales are due to name their side on Thursday.

Ireland: 15 Robert Kearney; 14 Tommy Bowe, 13 Brian O'Driscoll (capt), 12 Gordon D'Arcy, 11 Keith Earls; 10 Ronan O'Gara, 9 Conor Murray; 8 Jamie Heaslip, 7 Sean O'Brien, 6 Stephen Ferris; 5 Paul O'Connell, 4 Donncha O'Callaghan; 3 Mike Ross, 2 Rory Best/Sean Cronin, 1 Cian Healy.
Replacements: 16 Sean Cronin/Damien Varley, 17 Tom Court, 18 Donnacha Ryan, 19 Denis Leamy, 20 Eoin Reddan, 21 Jonathan Sexton, 22 Andrew Trimble

Guildford, who scored four tries in his first World Cup outing against Canada last weekend, pulled a hamstring in training but the seriousness of the injury was not immediately clear.

"I just pulled up a bit short at training, we haven't assessed it yet," said Guildford who had been hoping his starring role against Canada would put him in the frame for selection to play in Sunday's quarter-final against Argentina.

But the 22-year-old, who was publicly reprimanded by team management early in the tournament for excessive drinking admitted there was "huge competition" for the two wing berths.

Unlike the loss of ace fly-half Dan Carter, now out of the World Cup with a tournament-ending groin injury, the All Blacks have plenty of depth when it comes to their outside backs.

Richard Kahui and Cory Jane appear the likely starters, while coach Graham Henry has also experimented successfully with centre Sonny Bill Williams on the wing and Israel Dagg and Isaia Toeava have experience there.

Meanwhile, flanker McCaw trained with the team and showed no signs of the troublesome foot injury which sidelined him before the Canada game.

"He went well, put in a full training - brilliant," lock Ali Williams noted.

Colin Slade is expected to start at fly-half against Argentina with scrum-half Piri Weepu as his back up, while Carter's replacement Aaron Cruden is now training with the squad, but unsure if he will get any game time.

Cruden, who appeared in six Tests last year before slipping behind Slade in the pecking order, said his initial focus was to get up to speed with the All Blacks' plays.

"I'm not to sure what the playing side of it is going to be," he said, adding the message from backs coach Wayne Smith was to "play my natural game if given the opportunity and just prepare as I normally do thoughout the week".

Cooper, whose obvious skills and incredible flair are sometimes masked by shocking decisions or handling errors, is favourite to start at fly-half against the reigning champions.

Asked on Wednesday which Quade Cooper would turn up at the Wellington Regional Stadium, the Queensland Reds outside-half replied: "I'm going to turn up with a frame of mind to do my job for the Wallabies with 14 other blokes.

"If we part with any of our ability or confidence we have in what we do, I'm sure that will work as an advantage for the opposition.

"We don't want to go into our shells."

Cooper added he took South African talk of him being the main man to target as a "compliment".

"If everyone is looking to shut you down and pinpointing you as the focal point of the team, then you've got to take that as a compliment," he said.

"But you can't let that control your ego. Just because all the focus is on you doesn't mean that everyone is focusing on you. It could be a part of their tactics."

Boks talk up Wallabies

Cooper's opposite number will likely be Morne Steyn who, in marked contrast to his Australian rival, is an out-and-out goalkicker adept at controlling the very structured Springbok gameplan.

"It's an exciting backline," Steyn said of the Wallabies. "Guys like Cooper and (Kurtley) Beale are exciting players and you don't know what to expect from them. We are looking forward to a great battle in the backs.

"Cooper's got a great kicking ability, runs well and has all the skills. Whatever he can do is helping them at the moment. Sometimes it will work for him and sometimes it will not."

Cooper said the Springboks also had flair in their backline thanks to the likes of Bryan Habana, Patrick Lambie and Francois Hougaard.

"If they can get the ball out wide, they've got guys with a lot of ability," he said, adding, however, that the battle would be won up front.

"Physicality is the first place you've got to start. They're a very big side, very passionate.

"If we can match them physically the game will be a very tough occasion but one that hopefully we can come out on the right end of."

Wallabies fullback Beale voiced his support for Cooper, often targeted as the scapegoat when Australia lose.

"I think he's done very well," said Beale. "A lot of people are at him, for right or wrong reasons, but I think he's coping with the expectations."

It is a game that is likely be decided in the forwards, where the powerful Argentinians back themselves, and when All Blacks hardman Brad Thorn talks about the pressure of knockout matches the rest of the team take notice.

Although a fearsome competitor on the field, it is hard to get the powerful lock excited off it but when questioned about what to expect in a play-off the 36-year-old dual code international lights up.

"I find it real refreshing, it's do the business or see ya later. To me I find that exciting," the veteran of a combined 400 first-class games of rugby union and league drawled in his trade-mark gravelly voice, a legacy from being hit in the neck.

All Blacks coach Graham Henry rates Thorn's experience as invaluable to the side, many of whom are playing in their first major tournament and have no experience of the cut-throat nature of knockout fixtures.

"He's the backbone of the team, one of the major backbones if you like," Henry said. "He's been there and played a lot of professional sport, he knows what it's about."

A man of two codes

The New Zealand-born Thorn appeared in four Australian National Rugby League Grand Finals winning two of them with the Brisbane Broncos, featured in the tough State-of-Origin series and represented Australia in the 13-man game.

"In pool play you're trying to progress into the finals. Once you get to the knockout footy it really is if you don't do the business this week you're on your way home," he said.

"So from my experience from finals footy there is more intensity, it gets a lot more serious and for me as a player. I've enjoyed the last month but to me this is what it's about from now on."

Fellow rugby league convert Sonny Bill Williams, who clashed with Thorn in a preliminary Grand Final playing for the Sydney-based Bulldogs in 2006, would like New Zealand's backs to play with their customary freedom but knows that may not be possible.

"We've got to acknowledge this is knockout football and there's no tomorrow. You've got to find the right balance, not go into your shell but still express yourself, but obviously know it's finals time," he said.

The All Blacks pack were never fully tested in their pool matches, apart from a brief period in the second half of the match against Tonga, and Thorn welcomed Argentina's warning of an intense battle in the forwards.

"I think that's great. For me this level of footy is all about challenge and we've massive respect for Argentina, the scrum, lineout, forward play in general.

"So for me it's a great thing to come up against a really good opponent and test yourself and that's why it's called a Test match. I've a lot of respect for what they're going to bring and looking forward to a tight contest."

The Springboks face a tough quarter-final challenge against old foes Australia in Wellington on Sunday, but Burger, who was in the form of his career in the pool games, said South Africa's title-winning victory in 2007 was "a long time ago".

"It helps being there and having experienced it before, but at the end of the day your caps are not going to win you a rugby match," Burger said.

"You have got to go out there and play to the best of your capabilities.

"Four years is quite a long time ago, so hopefully when it comes down to the last seconds we are five metres from the Wallabies try-line and not vice versa.

"When it gets tight like that, you call on individuals to make the right decisions and not make mistakes. Sometimes it does occur, whether you have a hundred caps or five caps.

"It's about accuracy. When the game gets tight, it's individual errors or individual decisions and hopefully we make the right ones."

Burger admitted this Cup run would be the last for the vast majority ofa Test-hardened Springbok team.

An eight-year journey

Such is their experience, South Africa coach Peter de Villiers had the luxury of picking 16 members of the victorious 2007 squad in the match-day selection, with 11 in the starting 15, for the opening pool game against Wales.

"If we do get knocked out, this team has been together eight years and a lot of guys are moving on," the 28-year-old Burger said.

"We will probably start thinking about that after the match, maybe drown our sorrows and say goodbye to a few friends who are going to Japan or wherever.

"It's important to finish well," added the 67-times capped back-row.

Meanwhile, Burger also played down the chances of South Africa changing tactics against Australia.

"I don't think we are at a stage of the competition where we are going to change much," he said.

"It looks like the weather is going to be all right. If we were playing today (in fierce wind and rain), I suppose our tactics would be quite different."

Prop CJ van der Linde said the powerful Bok pack would look to build on their performances in the pool stages, when South Africa nipped Wales by a point, hammered both Fiji and Namibia, but were pushed hard by Samoa.

"We have our own standards when it comes to the set-piece and we have had good momentum in this tournament so we want to carry on," the veteran scrummager said.

"The set-piece is a big part of the game and, if you want to win a Test match, your set-piece has to be spot on, so we are definitely expecting a big onslaught on Sunday."

Rory Best could recover from injury to his right shoulder to play again at the World Cup if Ireland beats Wales in the quarterfinals on Saturday.

Best will almost certainly sit out the match in Wellington after spraining the joint in Sunday's 36-6 win over Italy.

The nature of the injury meant Best was in danger of being ruled out until after the October 23 final in Auckland, but team officials say he could be playing again before then.

Kicking coach Mark Tainton says Best's "chances at the moment are long: he's doubtful for this weekend, but he's not ruled out of the tournament."

Michael Sherry has been called up as precautionary cover for the injured hooker, while Sean Cronin is likely to wear the number two jersey on Saturday.

"Rory Best is still progressing with his rehabilitation this week and while he remains doubtful for the Wales game, we felt it was prudent to bring Mike Sherry down to New Zealand as precautionary cover," Ireland manager Paul McNaughton said.

While New Zealand reacted to the World Cup-ending injury to Dan Carter as something akin to a national disaster, the All Blacks rallied around his understudy Colin Slade.

The loss of star playmaker Carter has dominated the New Zealand news since he suffered a serious groin injury on Saturday with many questioning the ability of the novice Slade to fill his boots.

But All Blacks backs coach Wayne Smith led the Slade fan club on Tuesday, saying the team's expectations were really high and that, despite Carter's absence, "we haven't altered the bar at all".

Smith said Slade had similar strengths to the ace pivot "so plans remain the same, expectations are exactly the same, belief of the squad is exactly the same. We don't see anything's changed."

In New Zealand, where rugby was treated almost like a national religion, there is desperation across the country for the team to lift the World Cup for the first time in 24 years.

Although the All Blacks are the most successful team in the history of the sport, the only time they have won the World Cup was when they hosted the inaugural tournament in 1987.

The 29-year-old Carter, an astute onfield general and veteran of 85 Tests, was seen as the rugby messiah who would change that, but Smith said the team had just as much faith in Slade, 23, who has a mere nine internationals behind him.

"He's got huge credibility in the squad and there's a lot of belief in him. In my experience if you walk in the company of people who believe in you you're going to achieve," he said ahead of New Zealand's quarterfinal against Argentina on Sunday.

All Blacks number eight Kieran Read said the team felt for Carter who was "a massive part" of the squad but had confidence in Slade to fill the demanding role.

"He's a pretty cool customer. He's got a level head on his shoulders and he's done an outstanding job last week (against Canada) and he'll handle it."

Although Aaron Cruden, who played six Tests for the All Blacks last year, has been added to the squad following Carter's withdrawal, Smith gave no guarantees he would get any game time.

Scrumhalf Piri Weepu who has played a lot of Super rugby in the Number ten jersey is the likely backup to Slade, a role he has filled twice this year.

England received a boost ahead of this weekend's World Cup quarterfinal against France with flyhalf Jonny Wilkinson taking part in Tuesday's training session.

The 32-year-old, whose drop goal secured the 2003 World Cup for England, injured his right elbow near the end of Saturday's 16-12 win over Scotland at Eden Park as Martin Johnson's men finished top of Pool B.

A scan has cleared match-winning pivot Wilkinson of serious injury but his fitness remains uncertain ahead of Thursday's team announcement.

"Jonny Wilkinson took part in this afternoon's (Monday) light training session as he recovers from an elbow injury sustained against Scotland," a team spokesman said.

The Toulon-based Wilkinson won his 88th England cap against the Scots and he raised his points tally for his country to 1.177, an international total bettered only by New Zealand's Dan Carter.

If Wilkinson is not fit to play then Leicester's Toby Flood will likely be his replacement.

The team spokesman said centre Mike Tindall did not train and continued to receive treatment for a stiff leg.

Tindall limped off against Scotland after midfield partner Manu Tuilagi trod on his leg.

The 26-year-old hooker, who admitted the offence but denied his actions had been deliberate, was found guilty of breaching Law 10.4(m) by making contact with the eyes or the eye area and acts contrary to good sportsmanship.

In a fixture both sides had to win to advance to the quarter-finals, Pool C winners Ireland triumphed 36-6 at Dunedin's Otago Stadium and so knocked Italy out of the tournament.

The IRB said in a statement: "Having conducted a detailed review of all the evidence available, including all broadcast angles and additional evidence from the Player and submissions from his legal representative, the Judicial Officer found the contact with the eyes of the Irish player to be a deliberate act on the part of Ghiraldini and categorised it as top end offending which has an entry point of 24 weeks suspension.

"However, taking into account particular aspects of the offending in this case and a range of mitigating factors, principally Ghiraldini’s previously unblemished record, the Judicial Officer reduced the period of suspension otherwise arrived at to 15 weeks."

Ghiraldini, who has 48 hours to appeal, will be suspended until January 17 next.

During the first half of Sunday's match an angry Healy indicated he had been the victim of eye gouging, but experienced South African referee Jonathan Kaplan said he could take no action as he had not himself seen the incident.

Eye gouging is one of the most serious offences in rugby union and is punishable by a maximum three-year ban.

Ireland face Wales in a World Cup quarter-final in Wellington on Saturday.

Both teams have poachers extraordinaires in the shape of David Pocock, for the Wallabies, and Heinrich Brussouw for the Springboks.

And Australia back-row Elsom, himself no mean player at the breakdown, said it would be a key aspect of the match.

"If you ever discount the breakdown, you're going to be in trouble, particularly as you get to the pointy end of the tournament," Elsom said on Tuesday.

"That's going to be a real area of contention because any time you get dominance at the breakdown you're going to provide front-foot ball for attack and that's an enormous part of the game.

"If you look at the teams whose attack has stuttered you can always link it back to the breakdown."

Elsom added Sunday's match against Australia's old foes would be tactically and mentally different from a Tri-Nations match.

"The fact we're more familiar with them means we've got more background on them and we don't have to pore over as much footage, but by the same token we know they can be a handful and they're a very good side," he explained.

"You just need three big games (in the knockout phase). Win, draw or lose this weekend, you've got to start afresh.

"If you're going home, it's disappointing, but if you're going into the semis it's a totally new game in this tournament, more than any other.

"It is important to take lessons from the past. We don't have to go too far back to have a look at when we don't do things so well to see how it turns out for us,"

"One of the great things about Test matches is you really find out where you stand," said the 28-year-old Elsom, capped 73 times by Australia.

"We've got a tough opposition in South Africa and on Monday you'll have a clearer view of how world rugby sits."

Elsom added that this tournament differed from the 2007 World Cup in France, when Australia were pipped in the quarter-final by England, who then went on to lose to the Springboks in the final.

"It's obvious the games are different. There's a whole lot more advantage in the defence," he said, in a view that differed from many pundits' perception of how rugby had changed in the past four years.

"The strength of the South African defence is that they get off the line very hard and it can be very good for them and it has been good for them so far."

Utility back Adam Ashley-Cooper said Australia, stunningly beaten 15-6 by Ireland in the pool stages, had to raise their game and be ready to go the distance against South Africa.

"We're looking for a lift in intensity and urgency. We'll approach it like it's our last game, because if we don't get past it we're going home on Sunday.

"All the games played (at the tournament) show the 80-minute effort is important."

Lievremont's move in playing Clermont scrum-half Parra at 10 ahead of specialist outside half Francois Trinh-Duc has been one of the talking points of this World Cup.

But although France, with Parra at fly-half, have lost to both New Zealand (37-17) and, far more dramatically, Tonga, who beat Les Bleus 19-14 in Wellington last weekend, Lievremont has stuck with his new stand-off, who will again have Dimitri Yachvili inside him at scrum-half in the team announced here on Tuesday.

"Despite the great qualities of Francois in that position, I love the possibility of playing Morgan there and his understanding with Dimitri Yachvili," Lievremont told reporters.

"Morgan is a competitor. I think he's added a certain dynamism which, although it didn't produce concrete results against New Zealand, I want to stick with."

No team has ever won the World Cup after losing one pool match, let alone two.

But Lievremont, for whom Saturday's fixture could be his last in charge as he will be replaced after the tournament by fellow former France international Phillipe Saint-Andre, insisted the team could bounce back.

"The essential thing is that the players must take responsibility," he said.

"One can have regrets, and I am the first to have regrets, but now we are in this difficult situation we have to react.

"But I am convinced the players can react," he added ahead of a match where France will try to avoid losing to England in a third successive World Cup, following defeats in the semi-finals of both the 2003 and 2007 semi-finals.

The only changes to the starting side beaten by Tonga saw the return of first-choice No 8 Imanol Harinordoquy in place of Raphael Lakafia while leading tighthead prop Nicolas Mas took over from Luc Ducalcon.

Meanwhile, centre Aurelien Rougerie was included in midfield despite suffering a shoulder injury last weekend.

On the bench, back David Marty took the spot vacated by Fabrice Estebanez, whose World Cup ended on Monday when he was banned for three weeks for a dangerous tackle against Tonga after coming on as a replacement.

England, unbeaten at the tournament so far and 17-9 winners over France in the Six Nations in February, are due to name their side on Thursday.

France: 15 Maxime Medard; 14 Vincent Clerc, 13 Aurelien Rougerie, 12 Maxime Mermoz, 11 Alexis Palisson; 10 Morgan Parra, 9 Dimitri Yachvili; 8 Imanol Harinordoquy, 7 Julien Bonnaire, 6 Thierry Dusautoir (capt); 5 Lionel Nallet, 4 Pascal Pape; 3 Nicolas Mas, 2 William Servat, 1 Jean-Baptiste Poux
Replacements: 16 Dimitri Szarzewski, 17 Fabien Barcella, 18 Julien Pierre, 19 Louis Picamoles, 20 Francois Trinh-Duc, 21 David Marty, 22 Cedric Heymans

It was inconceivable the sport's showpiece tournament could take place without any of the top sides, members of the squad said.

A row over the future involvement of the All Blacks, arguably rugby union's best-known international team and one of its most successful, started last week when New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) chief executive Steve Tew said pulling the top-ranked team from the next World Cup could not be ruled out.

Tew said his organisation lost money every time the quadrennial tournament was staged and received the backing of neighbours Australia.

He added competing at the current World Cup in New Zealand was costing the NZRU more than NZ$13-million ($10.3-million), casting a shadow over their participation in four years' time.

But IRB boss Mike Miller said while it would be good to have the All Blacks in England in 2015, "everyone is replaceable."

It was a statement that stunned members of the New Zealand team who are preparing to play their quarter-final match in the ongoing tournament against Argentina in Auckland this coming Sunday.

"You can't have a World Cup without the All Blacks, without any of the top nations. They've all got to be there just to make it a legit World Cup," wing Richard Kahui told reporters.

Assistant coach Wayne Smith also rejected Miller's comments, saying the New Zealand public would not stand for it.

"You've just got to see what rugby means in this country to think of it as inconceivable," he said.

"But I haven't thought a lot about it. I'm focusing on Argentina. They're a big enough test for me."

Tew said the bulk of the New Zealand rugby's shortfall came from lost revenue because the annual Tri-Nations competition was shortened in World Cup years so it did not clash with the tournament.

But Miller said that was not an IRB directive, but rather a decision taken by the Tri-Nations countries South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

He added that Tew was on the IRB Council, had been involved in the decision making for several years and knew the economics of the World Cup were to be re-examined after this tournament.

Tew's words were widely interpreted as a starting point for future talks with the IRB, with few believing the NZRU would disappoint their rugby-mad home public, and their players, by pulling out of the World Cup.

"It'd be devastating for our country and our rugby players here as well," All Black hooker Keven Mealamu said last week.

Niggling injuries meant the reigning champions' pre-eminent enforcer sat out the narrow, hard-hitting victories over Wales (17-16) and Samoa (13-5), instead just getting a run in the facile 87-0 dismantling of Namibia.

But the towering lock insists he is back to top form ahead of the quarter-final against the Wallabies in Wellington, with Danie Roussow having filled in with aplomb in his absence.

"You don't know how frustrating it's been," Botha told reporters on Tuesday. "All the physical battles that I missed against Wales and Samoa.

"When I was sitting on the sidelines I just wanted to take off my number one jacket and get stuck into it.

"I'm just happy to be back. I'm here for the team and I want to do something for the team.

"I'm feeling 100 percent. I can get out running and get out into it. I'm feeling good, as long as I can get on the pitch, although selection falls to the coach," he added.

Botha predicted a fiery confrontration up front with a Wallaby pack he said had improved under Kiwi coach Robbie Deans.

"Since Robbie Deans has taken over, the Australian pack has definitely picked up physicality-wise," said Botha, who will join French Top 14 club Toulon on a three-year contract after the World Cup.

"During the Tri-Nations and all Tests they're involved in, Australia are a much more physical side than they were three, four years ago.

"You can't play good Test rugby if you haven't got a pack that dominates physically.

"They've definitely picked up and this weekend coming will be a physical battle as well and hopefully we'll get on the pitch, do our work and have a good day at the office."

Botha added that the set piece challenge would be key to the team that comes out victorious, saying he thought Deans would pick the combative Nathan Sharpe in a bid to cause Victor Matfield problems in the lineout.

"The line-out and scrum are key elements in the game," he said. "I think they'll put Sharpe in this weekend and they'll try to play against Victor because we know Victor's the best lineout lock in world rugby."

The centre, who in an earlier post said tournament organisers were guilty of "slavery" for the way they treated teams like Samoa, failed to attend a disciplinary hearing in Auckland on Tuesday.

That hearing saw Sapolu "provisionally suspended from all participation in the game of Rugby Union," a Rugby World Cup statement said.

This means he will be unable to resume playing for English Premiership side Gloucester unless and until a future hearing, to be held at a time yet to be announced, decides otherwise.

Sapolu was in trouble again following his latest outburst after Samoa's 13-5 loss to champions South Africa last week - a defeat that ended their World Cup quarter-final hopes.

He claimed Samoa were the victims of a conspiracy and slammed Owens after several other contributors to the Welshman's Facebook page criticised the referee.

"I can understand the hate!! Haha good luck u racist biased prick," tweeted the 30-year-old Sapolu.

"Get s.a (South Africa) into next round. The plan was obvious. Can't wait 2 meet irb (International Rugby Board) members in public," he added.

The comments come after Sapolu was forced to apologise for comparing the World Cup to "slavery" and even the "holocaust" after Samoa had only a few days to prepare for their key game against Wales, which they lost.

A statement issued by World Cup organisers on Tuesday said judicial officer Jeff Blackett of England had ruled that due to Sapolu's failure to attend the hearing, he would adjourn the case to an appropriate time when he would face the charges against him.

But it added: "Pending the holding of such hearing he ordered that Mr Fuimaono Sapolu be provisionally suspended from all participation in the game of Rugby Union."

The statement said the Samoa Rugby Union accepted the charge of misconduct against them for failure to control Sapolu.

The question of what sanction, if any, the Samoa Rugby Union will face will be addressed at the same hearing as that of Sapolu himself.

Samoa were also involved in controversy after wing Alesana Tuilagi was heavily fined for wearing a mouthguard displaying the name of a company that is not sponsoring the World Cup.

The Pacific Islanders threatened an upset against South Africa on Friday in a match where Samoa full-back Paul Williams was sent off.

Wales are set for a ‘50/50’ challenge when they take on Ireland in Saturday's World Cup quarterfinal, buoyed by a lack of injuries to the squad - something that has forced rival stars Dan Carter and Frans Steyn to pull out of the tournament.

The Welsh have seemingly run into prime form and ended their pool play with a clinical 66-0 dismantling of a poor Fijian side.

"We're looking pretty healthy, probably the healthiest we've been going into this week. It's very promising in that area," defence coach Shaun Edwards said of the Welsh injuries.

"It's a nice change for us really, because we had to come over here without quite a few of our star players, so it makes a welcome change for us to be having a nice run with injuries.”

"Over the last two or three years we've definitively had more than our fair share of injuries and it's probably come at the right time that we have a lot of guys available."

With the All Blacks coming to terms with the blow of losing Carter with a severe groin injury and the Springboks having lost the in-form Steyn to a shoulder problem, Edwards said injuries were to be expected.

"Every team realises now that in such a collision-based sport you are going to pick up injuries," said the former Wigan and Great Britain Rugby League star.

"All coaches hope and pray that they are not going to get their star players injured, but percentages tell you you're going to lose a star or a key player or two along the way."

Edwards dubbed the Wellington quarterfinal against Ireland as a "50-50 game".

"It's pretty hard to pick the winner. They are two teams that have run into a bit of form, relatively injury-free.”

"The Irish, after being criticised for their pre-World Cup form, are obviously running into some very strong form themselves."

But he said both the Welsh and Irish players would take the quarterfinal in their stride, as used as they are to the knock-out nature of the European Cup.

"It's just like a Heineken Cup situation where you have your group stages and then you're into a sudden-death situation, so our guys are used to that, as are the Irish lads," he said, adding he was left beaming by keeping Fiji scoreless.

"I was pleased with the lads because of their attitude really. The lads were really disappointed that we didn't get a nil against Namibia," Edwards said.

"There was an interception try that we gave away unfortunately and Stephen Jones has held his hand up and apologised.”

"It's very unusual to get a zero nowadays in rugby. To get a zero you have to shoot out to a quite convincing first-half lead otherwise people go for penalties.”

"Fiji battled on to the end and did their best, but our line held strong until the end of the game.”

"We got some good tackling practice in and because the game was a six-day turnaround, it's not easy to get full-on contact sessions in when you're training."

France centre Fabrice Estebanez will miss the rest of the World Cup after being suspended for three weeks for a dangerous tackle in the upset loss to Tonga.

Estebanez was suspended late Monday after a judicial hearing in Auckland, where he admitted making the tip tackle on Tongan replacement lock Joe Tu'ineau in the second half of Saturday's 19-14 defeat in Wellington.

The suspension will run until 24 October, the day after the World Cup final.

France are playing 2003 champions, England, in the quarterfinal clash on Saturday.

France's World Cup campaign has been full of frustration thus far, with team harmony at a low point following difficult wins over Japan and Canada before back-to-back losses to New Zealand and Tonga in Pool A.

The French only ensured qualification for the knockout round when winger Vincent Clerc scored in the corner in the last seconds on Saturday to earn a bonus point for losing by fewer than seven points against Tonga.

Rugby World Cup judicial officer Christopher Quinlan of England found Estebanez guilty of a mid-range dangerous tackle after reviewing footage and taking evidence from the player. Estebanez was yellow-carded during the match. France has 48 hours to appeal.

His suspension means a player from each team was suspended in the wake of the match.
After a hearing late Sunday, Quinlan banned Tongan winger Sukanaialu Hufanga for five weeks for a dangerous tip tackle on Clerc just before half-time. Hufanga cannot resume playing before November 7th.

A series of other players have been cited over weekend incidents. England winger Delon Armitage was banned for one week for a high tackle on rival fullback Chris Paterson in the 16-12 win over Scotland in Pool B on Saturday night and would miss the quarterfinal against France.

Georgia wing Lekso Gugava was suspended by Jean-Noel Couraud of France for five weeks for a tip tackle on Argentina centre Felipe Contepomi during the Pumas' 25-7 win on Sunday.

Samoa centre Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu is also due to face a misconduct hearing for criticizing Welsh referee Nigel Owens' performance.

Fuimaono-Sapolu described Owens' refereeing as "absolutely horrendous" on Twitter after Samoa lost 13-5 to South Africa on Friday, adding: "get SA into next round. The plan was obvious; can't wait 2 meet IRB members in public."

The International Rugby Board issued a statement saying "the charge follows a previous formal warning issued to the Samoa Rugby Union regarding social media conduct by the same player."

"Yes, I think it's much bigger," de Villiers told a press conference at the team hotel.

Long-range goal-kicker Steyn hurt his shoulder in the pool match against Samoa and has been replaced by fullback Zane Kirchner, while flyhalf Carter suffered a serious groin injury at training. Flyhalf Aaron Cruden replaces him in the squad.

The Springbok coach said Steyn's value lay in his versatility and how he helped to build team spirit.

"Coming to the World Cup he came as a full back. We were forced to use him at centre and then he showed us what his value is as a player and he's a team man there.

"Yes, we're going to miss him, definitely," said de Villiers.

Springbok second row Victor Matfield said it seemed the Sanzar (South Africa-New Zealand-Australia Rugby) teams had been hardest hit by serious injury, with Australia also having to replace loose forward Wycliff Palu and wing Drew Mitchell and others also being sidelined.

"It probably helps a little bit with the northern hemisphere having quite a big off time before this World Cup," Matfield said.

"But that's part of the World Cup. You have to deal with it, you have to adapt and that's how you can be successful if you can adapt to whatever happens to you as a team."

Asked whether northern hemisphere teams were fresher and had a real advantage coming into the World Cup, Matfield said that was difficult to say.

"Maybe we've got more match time, maybe we're sharper, but on the other side you lose because you get injuries to guys that are a bit tired from the long Super Rugby season.

"But I think if you have a look out there, there's definitely more injuries in the southern hemisphere teams than in the northern hemisphere teams."

Australia have defeated South Africa in five of their past six meetings, including twice this year on their way to the Tri-Nations title.

But Horwill said the dynamics of tournament rugby were completely different to the annual southern hemisphere competition and Australia could not afford any complacency against the defending world champions.

"World Cups are different," he told reporters. "It's a tournament, it's knockout - this is it.

"You can put all history behind you, this is a game that we need to win, it's a quarterfinal against the Springboks. It's a huge occasion and you can't read too much into what's happened in the past."

Horwill predicted a tight contest in Wellington and warned the Wallabies could not afford to squander any chances against the miserly Boks' defence.

"They're a very good defensive team, we know that because we've played them twice already this year," he said.

"The games we have played, especially the one over in Durban [a 14-9 win to Australia], there wasn't a lot in it.

"We need to take our opportunities when we get them, whether that's through the boot or scoring tries, we've got to be precise."

He did not believe South Africa's loss of in-form centre Frans Steyn to a shoulder injury would diminish the Springboks' threat, saying flyhalf Morné Steyn was also dangerous with the boot.

"Morné Steyn's a fantastic kicker, his record at this World Cup is pretty high," he said.

"So you've got to be aware that their goal-kicking ability is pretty strong across the board, with or without Frans Steyn."

Wallabies' assistant coach David Nucifora said South Africa, who like Australia are two-time world champions, had gained momentum since the Tri-Nations.

"They were probably a little bit slow to start and they've gained a fair bit of momentum since they arrived here and that's showing in the confidence in the way they're playing," he said.

"It's for keeps now and they're experienced at this type of footy, so it's going to be a great contest."

Nucifora predicted the quarterfinal between the southern hemisphere powerhouses would go down to the wire.

"The team that loses concentration for a split second will be the team that's going home," he said. "I don't think it'll come down to much more than that.

"There'll be one or two opportunities to win this game on Sunday and the team that's up for it and ready to take those chances is the one that will be staying."

The injury-hit Wallabies received reinforcements Monday when winger Lachie Turner and flank Matt Hodgson arrived in Wellington to fill in for Drew Mitchell and Wycliff Palu respectively.

Turner said arriving just ahead of the quarterfinals was "nerve-wracking" but he was raring to go.

"I haven't come over here to watch the boys play, I've come over here to try and get back in that side, so it's a great opportunity for me," he told reporters at Wellington airport.

"The team's got the goal of winning the World Cup. I certainly share that goal and I'll be doing everything I can to ensure I'm part of a team that goes on to win."

Armitage was cited for making a dangerous tackle in England's 16-12 Pool B match against Scotland at Auckland's Eden Park last Saturday.

Judicial officer Bruce Squire deemed Armitage's offence to be at the lower end of offending which has an entry point of two weeks.

The Judicial Officer took into consideration mitigating factors and the absence of aggravating factors in suspending Armitage for one match.

Armitage's suspension takes effect immediately and will include Saturday's quarterfinal against France at Eden Park.

The player has 48 hours in which to appeal the judiciary's decision.

Meanwhile, Georgia wing Lekso Gugava was Monday suspended for five weeks after being found guilty of making a ‘dangerous tip tackle’ in his team's final World Cup pool game against Argentina.

Gugava was cited by citing commissioner Achille Reali from broadcast footage of the match, won by the Pumas 25-7 in Palmerston North on Sunday.

The suspension takes effect immediately and Gugava is free to resume playing on November 8.

Carter presented a positive image as he spoke to the media for the first time since Saturday's injury, but admitted behind closed doors he had let out his frustrations.

What started as a landmark day, when he was asked to captain the All Blacks for the first time, ended in tragedy on his fourth practice kick on the eve of the All Blacks final pool match against Canada.

He knew immediately the damage was serious and team doctor Deb Robinson confirmed it was a "completely torn adductor longus tendon" in his left groin.

"I knew it was pretty serious just because of the pain," Carter said.

"After kicking a ball it just popped and I went down on the ground in agony.

"Obviously, it's pretty gut wrenching and really disappointing what's happened but I have to get over that and continue to think positively and try to help the guys out in whatever way I can."

The 29-year-old Carter has tasted the disappointment of World Cup defeats twice before, playing in the All Blacks' failed 2003 and 2007 campaigns and he was hoping to break through for the first time this year.

The acclaimed playmaker, who is the world's leading Test point scorer and rated by many as the world's best fly-half, said it was very frustrating to have his hopes dashed.

"Just the pure randomness of the injury and for it to come out of the blue, my body was really good leading into the week and it was good all week and I haven't had any groin or abductor or hip problems in the past.

"So for something like this to happen is really tough. I can't put my finger on why and I'm constantly asking why did this happen and I don't have the answer."

'Craziest day of my life'

Carter said he only intended having four kicks at practice and the tendon snapped on his final shot at goal.

When asked about his calm demeanour, Carter said he was "a little different behind closed doors. I tend to let out my frustration a lot.

"But being around the team really spurs me on to think positively and try and help them out in whatever way, and moping around is not going to help them.

"But lying in bed on Saturday night was pretty tough, looking back on what's one of the craziest days in my life.

"To be named All Blacks captain, it's something really special, and then have that taken away through injury and later to find out my dream of being involved in a World Cup is now over. So it has been tough."

Carter was to have led the All Blacks in the absence of regular skipper Richie McCaw, who suffered a recurrence of a foot injury but has been cleared to play Argentina in Sunday's quarter-final.

Although Carter is no longer a member of the All Blacks World Cup squad he will be assisting the team with video analysis of opposition sides.

There has been a national outpouring of disbelief in New Zealand over the injury to their most influential player but Carter said it was time for people to re-focus on supporting the team.

Immediately the extent of his injury was known he sent a message of support to his inexperienced understudy Colin Slade, who has been thrust into the limelight and become the target of unfavourable comparisons in the media.

"I feel sorry for him. He's getting a lot of talk comparing the two of us but he's a great player and deserves his spot and now its his opportunity to go out there and play his game," Carter said.

Carter only recently re-signed with the New Zealand Rugby Union for another four years and did not discount being around to play in the 2015 World Cup in England.

"One thing's for sure, the real World Cup is starting this week," said captain and hooker John Smit, who guided the Springboks to four victories from four pool games.

"It's definitely a tournament that is set up in two stages, and this is the stage where every game is do-or-die, it's a different level completely."

Predicting there would be a "different vibe" around the camp, Smit added that any team that had safely negotiated pool play was worth their spot in the knock-out phase.

"If you've got this far, you've done well in being successful in your pool and those pools, especially for us, have been invaluable because we came into the competition pretty undercooked," he said.

"So having the game time, being able to see what your combinations are like, and see how players can get into form, it's really invaluable."

Smit added: "Everyone's on the same level, so the results of what happened are irrelevant because everyone's on the same footing, but experiences of the last four weeks will have been helpful for the eight teams through."

Pleased with progress

Smit said he was "pretty pleased" with his team's performances so far.

"We've managed to come through our pool with some tough challenges. But it comes down to how we perform over the next three weeks."

The first challenge comes in the shape of the Wallabies, whom Smit agreed had a mental edge over the Springboks.

"We haven't beaten Australia this year and last year wasn't fantastic either," said the hooker, who has signed to play for English Premiership club Saracens after the World Cup.

"They're a team that has one up on us over the last two seasons, they're good opposition, we do know their players better than most and they're a team that has been improving.

"Certainly, they'll feel they'll have a mental edge.

"We'll want to face the match as a fresh start in terms of where we want to go over the next few weeks and I'm pretty sure they'll look at what they've been able to achieve before against us into this weekend.

"It's two different mindsets, I suppose, and they've certainly had the upper hand in the last couple of seasons and it would be naive not to accept that."

But he warned that neither team would rely on past laurels or disappointments.

"They're not going to fool themselves and rely on what they've done and we're not going to fool ourselves and look back at what hasn't been done," he said.

"Each of us is going to take what we've done over the last four weeks, work on that, take the positives out and put it all together on Sunday."

"If we do happen to get to the final we're more than happy Dan Carter's not playing in that game," Gatland said.

"He's a fantastic player and a huge loss to that team.

"Everyone's known for a long time that Dan Carter's been a pivotal, key man for the All Blacks and when he doesn't play, that potentially makes them a little bit vulnerable."

But Gatland said no teams would take pleasure from Carter's freak training injury which has ruled him out for up to 12 weeks.

"I think a few teams will be a little bit happier that he's been ruled out. It's unfortunate for Dan because I know what it means to him and if you want to beat a team, you want to beat them with their best players available," Gatland said.

"So I don't think anyone would take any delight in Dan Carter being injured and being ruled out of the World Cup.

"Because if you happen to beat the All Blacks or they do lose you'd like to think it's with Dan Carter playing and you're good enough to beat the All Blacks at their best."

Wales will not meet the hosts unless both qualify for the World Cup Final in Auckland on October 23.

Henry backs Slade

Meanwhile, New Zealand coach Graham Henry gave his backing to Dan Carter's replacement Colin Slade, after his forwards laid the foundations for a facile 79-15 roasting of Canada on Sunday.

The first five-eighth sparked some early attacks that yielded a handful of tries against some woeful Canadian defence, but his performance was far from error-free and he was at times erratic with his kicking from hand and for goal.

He was shifted to the wing to accommodate the more accomplished goalkicker Piri Weepu at flyhalf, before he hobbled off in the 65th minute, tired more than injured, according to Henry.

Weepu dominated the run-in to the final whistle - albeit against a wilting Canucks team, the All Blacks registering their fourth straight pool victory to set up a quarterfinal against Argentina in Auckland next week.

"Going forward, Colin Slade's the boy. He played pretty well for a long part of the game today," Henry said.

"He just needs to play more football, so the more we can play him, the better he's going to get.

"I think we saw that Piri can play there as well and he played better the more time he was in the number 10 position and played very well in the last 10 minutes of the game.

"Aaron Cruden's joining the group on Monday, so we'll take it from there."

The scrum was also a highlight for the All Blacks, the Canucks being shunted off their own put-in on four occasions, leading to three tries in the 12-try to two romp.

"We went out there to focus on getting our scrum going. We are pretty happy with how that went, the line-out went pretty well as well," said Andrew Hore, captaining the side in the absence of regular skipper Richie McCaw and Carter.

"We had a few problems before giving away penalties so we went out there with a plan on how to do it and we're pretty pleased to turn over a bit of their ball and get a couple of tries off our scrum so it went well.

"Hopefully we can build it up because the Argentinian boys are definitely going to be a step up so hopefully we can grow from that and be good to go next Sunday."

Henry added that he had been happy with the quality and variety of their Pool A opponents, something observers said was severely lacking in 2007 when an undercooked All Blacks crashed out to France in the quarterfinals.

"The 20 teams have been stronger than they have been in previous World Cups," Henry said. "It's been better than before."

The All Blacks coach will face an interesting selection dilemma in several positions come next weekend.

Guildford, in his first game since admitting a drink problem last month, put his hand up for a winger's berth with an electric first-half display, the Canadian defence unable to cope with his sheer pace and jink.

And Victor Vito, who replaced McCaw at openside flanker, enjoyed an enormous game which saw him claim two tries, his second scored from the right wing, where he moved to replace Slade and the injured Israel Dagg.

Du Plessis was speaking after SA's 13-5 Pool D win over Samoa on Friday, which saw the defending champions top the log and set up a quarterfinal clash against the Wallabies next weekend.

"The mauls were one of the main focus areas for us on the weekend against Samoa as we wanted to keep it tight, because we knew they had great athletes, from No.1 to No.15, that can run the ball," he said.

"We put in a lot of work in that area of our game and I can't see us changing much at this stage."

The Springboks next face Australia - another team known for its expansive approach to the game - in quarterfinal action in Wellington on Sunday.

The big number two said discipline would remain important and was a facet of the game each player took personally.

Du Plessis, who earned his first start of the tournament against the physical Samoans, combined well with fellow former Grey College scholar Heinrich Brüssow in securing turnover possession on Friday.

Getting down and dirty in the rucks just so happens to be an aspect of the game he enjoys.

He credited Sharks coach John Plumtree for some of his skills at the tackle area, revealing: "I pride myself in that [securing turnovers] and I work hard on that aspect of my game at my franchise.

"Luckily Plum [John Plumtree] taught me a few things to do in those situations and I've taken note of what some of the other guys are doing there, as it is an area that I would like to improve in."

Deciding when to go for the steal was just as important, and in that regard Du Plessis said instinct played an important role when numbers were committed to rucks.

"It is purely a decision you have to make as a player, I think when you are under you don't want to commit guys and when you are on the front foot you want to put a lot of players in," he said.

"I think Samoa put us under a lot of pressure with counter-rucking and I think we stood our ground well there."

As impressive as the Springboks were at line-out time - where they won three of the opposition's balls in the first half - their scrumming also left a Samoan front row forward begging for mercy during the contest.

Du Plessis said there would always be room for improvement in all aspects of play.

"Every game is different, in one game you have great line-outs and in other games your scrums. We just have to keep working hard at everything we do."

The Boks ended top of Pool D, whilst the Wallabies - after losing to Ireland in a round robin match - finished second in Pool C of the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

And, next Sunday, the two Tri-Nations superpowers will go head-to-head in the World Cup for just the third time in the tournament's history.

"It will be a challenge for them on the scrums, our scrum is exceptionally good at the moment," De Villiers said on Sunday.

"We use it as a good platform to play from and a guy like Pierre [Spies] gets enough time to go off the back of it.

"Our line-outs aren't bad either, but if they get their team selection right against us, we will be challenged."

Obvious threats in the Wallaby team include their halfback pair of Quade Cooper and Will Genia, while close tabs will have to be kept on the versatile Kurtley Beale at fullback.

De Villiers said his men would have to be careful of allowing those players to attack from broken play, revealing: "They're dangerous in turnover play and in space.

"We know that and we saw how Ireland cut off their space and how Samoa cut off their space.

"This is one area we want to look at - we want to cut off their space and force them to play deeper."

A different challenge

The Bok mentor said this week's challenge would be an entirely different one to the physical onslaught his men had to endure against Samoa on Friday - a game the Boks won 13-5.

"Australia won't be easy, but they will be easier," he said.

"Firstly they won't be as physical as Samoa, but they will try to be. It is just Samoa who can be as physical as that because it's part of their nature. Secondly, we understand Australia and we know what they do.

"We've been playing them for years, and they're not likely to change anything this coming week. For them it will be easier and for us it will be easier."

It will be the first time South Africa and Australia face each other in a World Cup quarterfinal, having met in the pool stages in 1995 and in an epic semifinal battle four years later.

Australia secured a 14-9 victory over South Africa the last time they met, in Durban in August, before going on to win the 2011 edition of the Tri-Nations.

De Villiers was nonetheless confident his men have what it takes to set the record straight.

"If you look how we were a year ago, and how we needed to play catch-up rugby, to where we are now, then you can see a big difference. We begin by playing in our structures and we do it well.

"The first and especially our last game, we played total rugby."

The fact that his charges have missed an average of 26 tackles per match is not a major concern either.

"There were line breaks against us, but if there weren't when would we be able to practice our scramble defence?

"Overall though, if you compare last year and this year there was a big difference."

The Boks were made to work for their fourth successive win at the 2011 tournament, but lost star back Frans Steyn to a tournament-ending shoulder injury, whilst a host of other players found themselves getting 'special attention' from the Samoans.

"We don't want to lose focus," De Villiers said on Sunday.

The violence extended from a blatant punch that struck Jaque Fourie while he was standing more than 20 metres from play, to several low blows flank Schalk Burger had to endure on the edges of the rucks.

De Villiers said these incidents would not receive further attention.

"We are here to win the World Cup and it takes around two or three hours to prepare an incident for the citing officer, and that time could be used better to prepare for the next match," he said.

"All I want is for people to realise, the world saw it. The fact that they allowed it to take place brought the game into disrepute."

The Samoan team now also face further action from the International Rugby Board, after Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu went on a Twitter rampage after his team's defeat.

"What a f**king joke. RWC is bullshit. we were climbing a mountain all tournament!! You saw the game. Bullshit," read one of his tweets.

Fuimaono, who accused World Cup officials of "slavery" and "apartheid" in a previous brain explosion, on Saturday accused Welsh referee Nigel Owens of being racist and biased in an expletive-filled Twitter rant. He will no face a misconduct hearing for his outburst.

De Villiers said the threats his players were exposed to intensified in the second half.

At the worst point Samoan fullback Paul Williams received a red card for striking Heinrich Brüssow.

"What bothered me most is that this could still happen at this level when there is technology at the disposal of the officials. If this is what professional rugby has become I do not want to be part of it."

The Springbok world champions remained unbeaten after four games and came through the 'Pool of Death', qualifying for next weekend's quarter-finals with 18 points and scoring 166 points and conceding just 24.

South Africa may face Tri-Nations champions Australia in the quarter-finals.

Springbok lineout general Victor Matfield, who was captain for the night, praised his team's discipline in the face of the passionate Samoans.

The Samoans played a man down for the last 10 minutes after fullback Paul Williams was sent off for striking Springbok flanker Heinrich Brussow 10 minutes from the end.

There were other flashpoints with Welsh referee Nigel Owens hard pressed to keep a lid on it.

"We want to focus on the ball in games and show we are disciplined. I'm proud of the boys not to get too involved in all that crap," Matfield said.

"They had nothing to lose and we knew we wanted to go on, so I was very happy with our discipline that we didn't get involved.

"We stayed out of it and that's the positive we can take out of it.

"We are very hard of our discipline and I'm proud that the boys kept their heads."

Coach Peter De Villiers said his team was prepared for the Samoan challenge given their circumstance coming into the deciding game of Pool D.

"We knew that they would be up for it, two months ago they beat Australia, the Tri-Nations champions, and they gave Wales a good game here," De Villiers said.

"We always knew they would be physical and confrontational so for us this game as been brilliant. The boys made the right decisions on the field."

"The mood in the changeroom is good, guys knew that they had to put their bodies on the line for our country.

"I know that our medical staff will work around the clock again."

Winger Bryan Habana, who scored his 40th Test try, came off early in the second half with what appeared an injured left knee, while Danie Rossouw and replacement Francois Hougaard went to the blood bin.

"With the amount of injuries we have, it was a tough game. But we are going into the playoffs and that is the most important thing," hooker Bismarck du Plessis said.

"We are always scared playing against Samoa. They are a great side. Playing a match like this though is definitely the sort of game we want before we go through to the quarter-finals."

The Samoans, bidding to reach their first World Cup quarterfinal in 16 years, came up short, 5-13, after a titanic second-half contest with the Springboks.

Samoa finished with 14 men after fullback Paul Williams was given a direct red card for striking flank Heinrich Brüssow in the face 10 minutes from the end of a pulsating second half.

It was just one of several decisions by Owens that irked the Samoans, who almost added the prestige scalp of the Springboks to the one of Tri-Nations champions Australia in Sydney in July.

"I thought the ref was pretty hard on us," skipper Mahroni Schwalger said.

"There was a lot of times when they were slowing our ball down and for me it's got to be fair on us as well and make sure he gives us a chance as well.

"I felt like it was one way, but we can't change the result, it's done."

Schwalger said "acting" was involved in the red-carding of Williams.

Brüssow instigated the incident when he wildly thrashed out at Williams' arms to get release from a maul and the Samoan fullback got off the ground and retaliated by striking him in the face.

"There was a little bit of acting out there, there was nothing in that, but the referee gave him a red card and that was a little bit harsh."

Schwalger said his Samoa team was excited by the prospect of testing themselves against the world champion Springboks on the World Cup stage.

"The boys knew they had a special occasion like this to get a chance to play the world champs and you might as well make the most of it," he said.

The All Blacks hope to give fringe players game-time against Canada to ensure they are match-fit if needed as injury cover later in the World Cup, assistant coach Steve Hansen said Thursday.

Hansen said back row forward Kieran Read had recovered from an injury scare and was set to play against the Maple Leafs in a Pool A encounter on Sunday, but wing Cory Jane was likely to be rested after sustaining a head knock in last week's win over France.

He said wing Richard Kahui was a definite non-starter after straining his hamstring in the same game and loose forward Adam Thomson was in doubt due to a knee injury.

"There's probably a question-mark over whether we take the risk of playing him [Thomson], we'll see what he's like over the next 48 hours," Hansen said.

The assistant coach said Read, who has taken no part in the World Cup so far after suffering a serious ankle injury in a Tri-Nations Test against Australia last month, was raring to go.

He said Read twisted his ankle at training on Wednesday but soon recovered.

"We all got a fright but within half an hour he was fine, he'll be training fully tomorrow and playing on Sunday," Hansen said, adding that the 25-year-old was unlikely to play for 80 minutes.

With the All Blacks expected to comfortably defeat Canada in their final pool match, Hansen said New Zealand's coaching staff were eager to give back-up players a run before the World Cup knockout phase begins.

"People that you know may come into the tournament later on because of injury needs," he said.

"The only way you can do that is in the tournament itself, so this is probably the game to give some of those people a trot."

That could be good news for fullback Mils Muliaina and wing Zac Guildford, who, along with Read, were the only members of New Zealand's thirty-man squad not to have played so far.

Muliaina, who has lost his status as first-choice fullback to Israel Dagg, has 98 Test caps and would be desperate to add to his tally as he bids to become only the second All Black after Richie McCaw to play 100 Tests.

Samo finished last week's 67-5 win over the United States on the wing, after a spate of injuries disrupted the Australian backline, scoring a try.

He has been given a further chance to shine in the position as coach Robbie Deans shuffles his resources for Australia's final pool match in this upper South Island city.

The good news for the ravaged Australian World Cup squad ahead of this Pool C encounter is the return of their sole specialist openside flank, David Pocock, who has been sidelined by a back injury for the past two games.

Just two backs, and four forwards, have been retained in their starting positions from the run on combination that Australia fielded against the US.

Despite their patched-up look, the Wallabies should still be far too strong for the Bears and will qualify for the quarterfinals while Ireland and Italy contest the remaining play-off berth from Pool C on Sunday.

Coach Robbie Deans said his biggest concern about the match was the risk of further injuries to his already decimated side.

He has had to conjure up the best team possible from the players still standing, although Samo does have some experience on the wing.

"He started as a wing, you saw him there last weekend. Obviously it has not been his typical position of late but with our circumstance it has become a necessity," Deans said.

At 1.97 metres and 117 kilograms Samo would be one of the biggest wings in the world and Deans said he should not be taken lightly.

"He's a remarkable athlete, he's 35 and still runs very fast and is good in contact so he's got a skill set that will be useful in the wide channels as well as through the middle."

James O'Connor gets the start at fullback and Drew Mitchell partners Samo on the wings with Adam Ashley-Cooper, Berrick Barnes, Quade Cooper and Luke Burgess completing the backline.

The remaining fit backs - scrumhalves Will Genia and Nick Phipps - fill the reserves bench with Deans saying a decision will be made at the time on who takes the field first.

Pocock's return bolsters the forwards as he shares the back row with Ben McCalman, and Scott Higginbotham while Nathan Sharpe and captain James Horwill will lock the scrum.

Of the squad's three hookers, Stephen Moore will start with Tatafu Polota Nau and Saia Fainga'a both on the bench to make up the numbers.

Should Phipps feature along with reserve prop Salesi Ma'afu, all of Australia's 30-man squad will have gained on-field time during the pool phase. The Australian Sevens representative would also become the first player to have represented the new Melbourne Rebels Super Rugby franchise at a World Cup.

While Australia still has four backs - fullback Kurtley Beale, wing Digby Ioane and midfielders Rob Horne and Pat McCabe - unavailable through injury, the pressure is at least starting to ease on the Wallabies forwards.

Skipper and lock James Horwill and loose forward Scott Higginbotham both return, after being sidelined last week, while flank David Pocock is also back in harness, with last year's John Eales Medal winner featuring for the first time since Australia's opening match of the tournament.

Although injuries have taxed Australia's resources, with this week's loss of No 8 Wycliff Palu for the tournament due to a hamstring injury the latest setback, Deans has no doubt that the combination selected for the weekend can get the result needed to secure Australia's position in the next round of the competition.

"While there are various permutations as to where we might finish, we need to win first and foremost. No one in our group is looking beyond this match," Deans said.

"The Russians won't be easy. They will be excited about the prospect of playing against a top tier nation and will be looking to finish their first World Cup with a strong performance. They have been competitive in their three matches to date and scored two tries against Ireland."

Deans said the inclusion of all three the squad's scrumhalves, and all three hookers, was caused by the team's current injury circumstance, as was the inclusion of Samo on the wing.

"We've had to be a bit creative but it's never been about the number on their back," he said.

"The players all know the role-play. While some of them might be out of their normal positions, they won't let us down and will enjoy the opportunity. We saw that last week with Radike [Samo] and Tatafu [Polota Nau] in the match against the United States."

A bonus point win will advance Australia into the quarter-finals, although the Wallabies will most likely finish as Pool C runners-up unless Italy beats Ireland in Dunedin on Sunday.

If both Australia and Italy were to record bonus point wins, and finish tied on the final standings, Australia would advance as the pool's top qualifier because of its 32-6 win over Italy earlier in the tournament.

Australia: 15 James O'Connor, 14 Radike Samo, 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12 Berrick Barnes, 11 Drew Mitchell, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Luke Burgess, 8 Ben McCalooman, 7 David Pocock, 6 Scott Higginbotham, 5 Nathan Sharpe, 4 James Horwill (captain), 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 James Slipper.
Replacements: 16 Tatafu Polota Nau, 17 Saia Fainga'a, 18 Salesi Ma'afu, 19 Rob Simmons, 20 Rocky Elsom, 21 Will Genia, 22 Nick Phipps.

Delon Armitage will start on the left wing for England as one of three changes for the Pool B decider at Eden Park on Saturday.

The London Irish back, who has scored two tries in his last four England games, replaces Cueto.

Team Manager Martin Johnson's other two changes see the Northampton Saints lock, Lawes, restored to the second row after a two-game ban and Saracens prop Matt Stevens return at loosehead.

They replace Stade Francais lock Tom Palmer and London Irish prop Alex Corbisiero respectively.

Chris Ashton, who tops the World Cup 2011 try-scoring charts with five, is one of five players starting their fourth game of the tournament, alongside Northampton Saints team mate Ben Foden, Leicester Tigers pair Manu Tuilagi and Dan Cole and Ricoh Black Rams No.8 James Haskell.

Bath flank Lewis Moody again captains the side on the occasion of his 70th cap and flyhalf Jonny Wilkinson will make his 90th Test appearance for England.

Wilkinson was preferred again to Toby Flood at No.10.

"Delon has played very well. We're very comfortable with him playing there and Mark has obviously had limited game time since he's been here, so another good week of training for him will be great," said Johnson.

He added that Armitage, who was banned during England's victorious Six Nations campaign for pushing a doping official and was then suspended again for punching in a Premiership game, had seized his chance to return to the team.

"I've said all the way through, if Delon's playing well and he's in form he's a Test match player," Johnson said.

"He wasn't available to us at the end of the Six Nations for various reasons and he's come back from that and worked very hard all the way through.

"Obviously the injury with Mark has been a factor in that. He's (Cueto) probably one game short of being right back to where he could be, so he will work as hard as he can this week to get himself there and hope to get another chance."

The uncompromising Lawes is back after serving a two-match ban for kneeing Argentina hooker Mario Ledesma in the head during England's hard-fought opening win in Dunedin.

England are looking for a fourth straight victory which would ensure they reach the quarter-finals and a likely match-up with France, while Scotland need to win and deny England a bonus point.

"It's knock-out rugby. Let's not worry about the points differences and all that," Johnson said. "We've got to win, they've got to win. It's what World Cups are about. No one's under any illusion about what it's about."

England: 15 Ben Foden, 14 Chris Ashton, 13 Manu Tuilagi, 12 Mike Tindall, 11 Delon Armitage, 10 Jonny Wilkinson, 9 Ben Youngs, 8 James Haskell, 7 Lewis Moody (captain), 6 Tom Croft, 5 Courtney Lawes, 4 Louis Deacon, 3 Dan Cole, 2 Steve Thompson, 1 Matt Stevens.
Replacements: 16 Dylan Hartley, 17 Alex Corbisiero, 18 Tom Palmer, 19 Nick Easter, 20 Richard Wigglesworth, 21 Toby Flood, 22 Matt Banahan.

The former IRB player of the year scored four tries in the Springboks' 59-7 win over Samoa in the pool stage in Paris on the way to lifting the 2007 World Cup.

Left-winger Habana, 28, became the Springboks' all-time greatest try-scorer at this tournament with his 39th try in his 72nd international, and knows the defending champions are in for another physical test against Samoa on Friday.

"It was pretty special, it is also unique scoring four tries for your country," Habana told a press conference in Auckland on Thursday.

"But in that first 20 minutes I wasn't really interested in taking any collisions after seeing their number eight (Henry Tuilagi) running into Danie (Rossouw) and Schalk (Burger).

"That first 20 minutes against Samoa in 2007 was some of the toughest Test match rugby I've ever played, it is pretty tough.

"I reckon tomorrow it will be no different. The structure that Samoa have come into with a lot of their players playing in European leagues has seen them become a much-improved side than what they were in 2007.

"They are going to lay down a big challenge for us, not only physically, but in their structure.

"So we have to make sure we are playing our best rugby if we're going to have any chance of success."

Habana, who equalled Jonah Lomu's tournament record of eight tries at the last World Cup, said although the All Blacks are the team to beat, the Springboks believe they can win back-to-back Webb Ellis Cups.

"There is a belief within the team that we can definitely go and win this World Cup," Habana said.

"The outside influences are not really important but the pressure we put on ourselves as a team and as individuals to perform.

"The All Blacks have definitely laid down a marker over the last couple of weeks and the rest of the world is following them at the moment."